Hold On
by Bridget Friste
Summary: Zuko finds out where his mother is and gets the Gaang back to help him search for her, but what troubles does he face when there is a killer after him? Zutara, and a bit of Taang.
1. How You Remind Me

**Me: Hello and Welcome to ****Hold on****! By me Bridget Friste! And a big welcome to my best friend and beta Lupelovell345**

**Lupe: Hi everyone! :)**

**Me: And of course Zuko over here! **

**Zuko: Hey.**

**Me: Where's your enthusiasm! You sound like someone just murdered a puppy in front of you Zuzu!**

**Zuko: Is this how you start every story of yours? With dead puppies? **

**Me: Of course not! I love puppies! **

**Zuko: Don't you have something else to do than bother me all day? Like Homework?**

**Me: *shifts eyes* maybe...**

**Lupe: I finished mine! **

**Me: Shut up you! **

**Zuko: Wow... I finished all my homework too! **

**Me: Well good for... wait you don't have homework...**

**Zuko: How do you know?**

**Me: Because you are Fire Lord, you just don't!**

**Zuko: Are you sure about that? *smiles* **

**Me: YES IM SURE! **

**Zuko: Now you're the unenthusiastic one! HAHA!**

**Me: *facepalm***

**Disclaimer!: I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender! How do I know? Because Zutara would have happened that's why!**

* * *

_This time I'm mistaken _  
_For handing you a heart worth breakin' _  
_I've been wrong, I've been down _  
_To the bottom of every bottle _  
_Despite words in my head _  
_Scream "Are we having fun yet?" _

**How you remind me- Nickelback**

* * *

Chapter One ~ How You Remind Me

Zuko walked along the abandoned path that had become routine for the past year, and it showed. There were scorch marks burned into the stones to the side and the spare shrubbery lining the road looked charred and blackened. Of course this had not been entirely Zuko's fault; more or less it had been his father's. It was his father that had, for the past year, still refused to tell him anything about his mother. _Maybe today's the day. _Zuko thought sarcastically. He didn't have any expectations about how this day would go, except bad.

Today was Zuko's seventeenth birthday.

Today, Zuko had to sit in a boring banquet hall at the head table with people vastly older than him talking about politics, taxes and how dreadfully important they were to his nation. Today, he had to greet all his guests alone and pretend that he actually likes half of them. Today, he had to listen to all the noble men and women throw their daughters at him in hopes that he might take a fancy to one of them (which happened a lot since he and Mai spilt up). Today, he had to sit tall and use proper edict and have guards watching his back every second. Today was going to be spent wishing that he had his friends back and not just old letters that were being stuffed in a drawer in his desk, just like every day before it.

Zuko sighed thinking of the letters. Aang hadn't written back in a while but that was to be expected, the boy was traveling so much lately, flitting from one earth kingdom town to the next on Appa so quickly, the messenger hawks could hardly keep up. Toph had been writing fairly consistently, but Zuko didn't really like reading about her wrestling matches that she won, or how great being free from rules was, it just made him jealous of his blind friend. Uncle's most recent letter had come yesterday but, things could get very boring when all you had to do all day was serve and make tea. And if Zuko had to read about one more strange customer Uncle had had (the latest being singing nomads) he was going kill someone. This left Sokka and Katara. They had been living in the South Pole together for a few months, Sokka had gone there after the war had finished and helped in the rebuilding process with the members of the Northern water tribe. Katara had been helping to train the new Waterbenders that had moved from the North to the South. Zuko missed the water tribe girl terribly. She was the only one of the group that had come to visit him.

Katara had been traveling with Aang after the war. It was mostly Katara that wrote though even though she signed both their names. She described every adventure she had with the Airbender from going to visit all of the Avatar shrines, to searching for any trace of the Air Nomads which Aang didn't, or wouldn't, believe were dead. Katara's letters always made him smile until one time it was just signed 'Katara'. This letter had been different from the others, this one had not included one mention of Aang and she had said that she was going to Omashu to stay with Toph for a while. Zuko had written back as he normally did except for one small sentence on the bottom, "What is happening with you and Aang?" which she replied "We are no longer together." And that was the end of it.

Eventually just like him she got bored of Toph's wrestling group and had decided to pay him a visit. She had stayed a little over a month but it had been enough time for Zuko to fall for her.

It was a little before he had broken up with Mai and the surprise visit had really cheered him up. He thought it was just the sight of seeing a friend amidst the sea of hypocritical nobles that viewed him as naïve and young and unfit to rule a nation, but it went deeper than that. She had made him feel happier than he had in years. He found himself smiling at every little thing she said, stealing glances at her out of the corner of his eye, and trying to find an excuse to be close to her.

Then she left and Zuko had been hanging on every letter she sent like a lifeline. Now he was alone walking to go met his father and have him laugh at his attempt to dislodge information about Zuko's mother. Today was going to be a bad day.

Zuko walked up the now familiar stairs that lead to his father's prison cell. He turned the corner throwing back his hood and glared down at the ex-Fire Lord. His father had not been faring well in prison, his skin was sallow, his eyes once bright and livid now dulled, and his black hair was starting to gray. Maybe that was a reaction to having his bending taken away, or maybe Ozai was falling apart. Zuko didn't care; he had lost all sympathy for his father since the day of black sun when he realized what a monster his father truly was.

"Hello Fire Lord." Ozai sneered. "And may I wish you a happy birthday." Zuko was dumbstruck, how had his father that despised him with his very breath, the man who had gave him the cruel scar that ravaged half his face remembered his birthday?

"You know why I'm here." Zuko snarled to hide his surprise. "Tell me where Mother is!" Ozai appeared not to have heard him; he was staring at his son's shoulder with a blank look. "Listen to me!" Zuko hissed.

"I don't need to listen to you Zuko, you always say the same thing," Ozai woke up from his trance and his face turned into a mocking mask of fear and pretended to cry. "Where's Mom?" Zuko grit his teeth and tried to keep his hands from smoking in anticipation for fire.

"You had better listen to me or you will never see the light of day again!" Ozai laughed at Zuko's threat. "Tell me where she is!"

"Oh, my son…" Ozai began but was swiftly cut off by Zuko.

"You are not my father! Uncle was more than a father than you ever were!" He growled, but Ozai ignored him.

"It is really unbecoming for you to be so unhappy, smile! At least you still have your health." Ozai jeered. Zuko's scowl deepened, the torches on the wall flickering higher and higher casting his face into wild shadows that made his scar look horrible and twisted and made the insignia in his top knot glow with a evil light. "That is something that has been in jeopardy lately." Ozai said and Zuko stiffened. How had he found out about that? No one knew about that except a few trusted guards and one or two of his most loyal advisers.

Obviously Zuko's astonishment had shown on his face, because Ozai's sneer deepened. "Oh yes I know about the assassination attempt on you Zuko, how is your arm healing up anyway?" Zuko subconsciously caressed the long cut running from his shoulder to his elbow.

"How did you know about that?" Zuko whispered.

"I know everything." Ozai stated simply and Zuko masked his shock with anger.

Three days prior to his birthday Zuko had received a note that said that he was going to die if he did not step down as Fire Lord. He had proceeded to burn the note to a crisp in his hand and toss the ash off his balcony. The next day a man burst in his room after he had finished training and tried to put a knife through his heart. He failed and now the assassin was dead.

Zuko had tried so hard to cover it up. Not wanting to know that someone had beaten his guards and had the power to wound their Fire Lord. It would show weakness of Zuko's ability to rule and if he thought the nobles gossiped about him now…

"It just isn't your week is it?" Ozai asked sarcastically, and the torches on the walls flew to the ceiling.

"You're horrible." Zuko muttered and Ozai laughed cruelly.

"I'm horrible? Really I can't believe that you are my own flesh and blood. You are so weak. It must be your mother coming through." Zuko's eyes flashed dangerously at this.

"Don't you talk about her like that!" Zuko hissed, but Ozai continued.

"Why not? She was just a tool, I needed an heir. Someone to carry on the legacy of great Fire Lords and inherit the new world I was about to create. She served her purpose, and I was happy to get rid of her! It was just luck that Lu Ten died or I would have to have killed Iroh and what a mess that would have been," Zuko's breathing became erratic, smoke and ash erupted with his breaths. "Turns out it was only your mother who had to get blood on her hands. Now the history books will brand her as a traitor and a murderer, too good for the bitch I say." Ozai enjoyed watching his son burn with rage, he carried on gleefully.

"Banishing was the best thing I did for this Nation, except for burning you Zuko, she was weak and she raised a coward." He began to lose track of his thoughts as Zuko's temper broke and he began to send the torches raging into infernos. "You were lucky to be born Zuko, and she was lucky to escape with her life! Banishment was better than she deserved! Letting those damn Earthbenders take care of her was better than she deserved. A life in the blasted mountains is better than she deserves. You must be so proud Zuko, your own mother too weak to do anything for herself." Ozai finished his rant. The smoke that Zuko had created filling the room obscured everything. Then he heard the squeak of doors and the smoke rushed out to reveal Zuko smiling. Ozai frowned in confusion. His son should have been in silent fury at the end of his performance. Then what he said came back into his head. His horror showed on his face, of all the stupid mistakes…

"I'm leaving." Zuko stated, his heart soaring. He knew where Mother was! He finally knew where she was, and he was going to go find her! He was going to have his family back, or at least the part he actually liked. He moved to walk out the open door.

"She could be dead for all you know!" Ozai cried out suddenly scared of the cell. "You are my son! You cannot leave me here." The sudden hypocrisy of Ozai made Zuko turn a scowl growing on his face.

"No your wrong! The only kin I have is my mother, and you have me abandon her!" Zuko snarled his good mood ruined.

"She has not been banished in vain! She is gone! I'm all you have left!" Ozai shouted in sudden desperation. "Let me go!"

"YOU WILL NEVER BE REALESED!" Zuko roared, and then his eyes narrowed to slits. "For what you've done I'll make sure you never see the light." Ozai screeched in fury at himself, and in absolute despotism ran at the cage and flung himself against it trying to break it by pure will power. Zuko threw fire at his father's feet that made him retreat quickly a look of pure terror crossed his face as he saw his son. "You won't see me again." Zuko whispered and strode out the open door, throwing his hood up. He never looked back.

* * *

Zuko made it back to the palace rather quickly with his heart beating a tattoo against his ribs. He evaded his guards and slipped quietly into his rooms. Zuko stretched out on his bed, eyes closed and a smile playing at his lips. He knew what he had to do, he had to pack and leave as soon as possible. The thought made his toes twitch in anticipation.

But he couldn't just _leave._ He was Fire Lord, he couldn't abandon his people. He thought of the load of paperwork on his desk nearly every day, and groaned at the thought of it pilling up over several days, even weeks. Uncle's voice popped into his head, _You never think things through Zuko! _He frowned analyzing this new problem. "Uncle!" He sat up, of course! Uncle! He could take care of the Nation in his absence. He himself had been trained as a Prince once too. He would know how to run the nation.

He thought of how to travel. It would have been obvious to anyone else, in his position but true to his style Zuko had screwed himself over before he even began. He hadn't told anyone besides Katara, Aang, Sokka, Toph and his uncle that he was still visiting his father. He didn't want the rest of the nobles thinking that he was working for Ozai or something stupid like that. And he couldn't just announce at his dinner tonight that he was leaving to go find his mother that most people believe had been killed.

No, it would be better if he just slipped away, like he did as the Blue Spirit. He couldn't do that, his people would think that he was abandoning them, and if things weren't bad enough already with the poverty and his own citizens sending assassins after him they would take his leaving as complete lack of hope for his country. He had worked too hard to just give up on them now, but he still had to go.

_I wish Katara was here. _He thought bitterly. Somehow whenever Zuko was in a fix she could make it better somehow. The thought gave him inspiration. If Zuko mysteriously left with the Avatar and his friends then everyone would think that they had some important 'save the world' type of mission to do! No one would think that he was abandoning them; no one would have any suspicions of him conspiring with his father! It would all fit… and he would see Katara again! He smiled at the idea. Then he hopped up, only pausing to check his top knot in the mirror before striding out to his study to write letters to everyone.

A stray smile flitted across the Fire Lords face, maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Aang sat on Appa's head, listening to Iroh chatter. He wasn't really paying attention to the old man just catching every few words. Aang had shown up at Ba Sing Se a few days earlier and had gone to visit Iroh, and discovered a rather short man tending to the Jasmine Dragon. The short man had said his name was Ping and told Aang that Iroh was going to visit his nephew for his birthday. Aang had jumped on Appa and flew out to meet him.

Iroh had been welcome to the company. He had originally thought to ride the ostrich horse all the way to the fire nation but it would have gotten hot, and this way he could see his nephew faster. He asked a question and waited for Aang to respond, he didn't. The young Airbender was not paying attention to Iroh. He was sitting staring down at the water below them frowning slightly.

Iroh got up and carefully inched his way to Aang. "What's on your mind Avatar?" Iroh asked and Aang looked up startled, the resumed his study of the sea.

"Sorry, I'm just… thinking, that's all." Aang said and Iroh settled down on the brim of the saddle.

"You know, thoughts are like a rock slide. It destroy the beauty of a place and you may think that there is no way of recovery, but if you work and shift every bolder on at a time then you realize just how beautiful things are." Iroh mused philosophically. Aang cocked his head at the old man trying to sort through his words. His expression was so like his nephew's whenever Iroh would offer up one of his proverbs that he chuckled at little.

"I didn't get that." Aang admitted and Iroh gave another chortle.

"It means that you need to pace your thoughts, work them out one at a time. Now, tell me what are you worried about?" Aang sighed heavily.

"Everything,"

"Is it about Lady Katara?" Iroh asked slyly. He wondered if Aang too had spotted, and was jealous of Zuko's feelings for his ex-girlfriend.

"No, we're still friends, and dating her was a mistake, but that's not it." Iroh was silently relieved. At least his nephew didn't have to worry with an envious Avatar.

"Then what is it young Avatar?" Iroh asked and noticed how different the boy was, he wasn't as short as he used to be, and his shoulders had broadened. It was like watching Zuko grow up again, and it served to remind the old man just how much he missed his nephew.

"Just call me Aang will you?" He asked in a weak attempt to divert the conversation before saying, "The whole 'last Airbender' thing. I can't be the last of my people. The world can't be complete without Airbenders and what would happen if I die? Would the Avatar cycle be broken and all the hope for the world lost? It's my job to keep balance but I can't do that with a fourth of the world missing." Aang drew his legs up to his chest and rest his chin on his knees.

"I know it must be hard." Iroh said, trying to reason and sound understanding at the same time.

"Hard? This sucks! I can't- I won't-" He seemed to be struggling for words. Then quietly he whispered. "I'm not the last of my kind." The words had the same ring to them as when he denied that he could take the ex-Fire Lord's life. Iroh frowned at the boy.

He must be in so much pain to see what his absence, his existence, has done to his people, Iroh mused. If it had been him in the Avat- Aang's place, he wouldn't know what to do. He certainly wouldn't be able to master all four elements in little under a year and then fight the Fire Lord when he was at his strongest. It wasn't feasible.

They were both startled when a messenger hawk flew into their path and shrieked. The hawk circled a few times and Iroh caught a glimpse of black ribbon hanging off the back of the Fire Nation insignia. Another bird flew out a cloud and gently landed on the saddle. Aang and Iroh glanced at each other. Aang leapt up and gracefully landed next to the hawks, which were tearing into the wooden edge of the saddle with their talons. He pulled the letters out of the cylinder at their backs.

Aang read on and then glanced at the next before handing it to Iroh. Iroh read it and raised an eyebrow in confusion.

_Dear Uncle, _It read. _I need you to come to the Fire Nation, it's urgent. I need your help. I'll explain when you get here. –Zuko. _The note was short and to the point. Iroh's brow furrowed, his nephew hadn't asked for help since he was crowned, it wasn't in his nature to ask for help. If he was now… He searched the letter for anything else and spotted a quick and hurried ink stain that he could just manage to tear from the mess _P.S. If you see Aang bring him with you._

"What do you think he wants?" Aang asked, Iroh studying his own scroll.

"I don't know." He admitted, worry started to prick at his heart. What if Zuko was hurt, what if his people were in rebellion, what if he had accidentally killed one of the nobles, what if he purposely killed one of the nobles?

"You think he's in trouble?" Aang asked, but the expression Iroh was wearing answered his question. "I hope he's okay." Aang muttered. It was just like Zuko to tax another trouble to his already troubled mind.

* * *

Toph Bei Fong swaggered around her camp crowing to anyone who would listen how she had beaten The Boulder with her hands literally tied behind her back. Her mother was walking painfully stiff next to her.

When Toph had joined the charity group of Earth Bending wrestlers her mother and father doggedly refused. Until she mentioned that if she wasn't allowed to go then she would run off again and join anyway. From then on her mother had accompanied then as the group traveled from city to city performing for any audience and true to their title, all the money from ticket sales goes to a fund that helps refuges get back on their feet. Toph had proclaimed very loudly that this had been all her idea, and that she was doing it mostly to help the poor people whose lives had been devastated by the war. That was a lie.

True it was a good cause that they were working for, but she had originally joined up just to kick some ass. She missed getting a perfect excuse to practice her Earthbending on a few Fire Nation soldiers or Twinkle Toes.

"Toph, Look!" Her mother shouted, her walking stopped and her heart beat quickening. Toph bit back a sarcastic retort, things had finally started to look up with her mother and her, her mother actually supported her Earthbending now, or at least tried to.

"What is it?" Toph said slipping into her stance. She couldn't feel anything except the hustle and bustle of daily camp life. Then she heard it, the shrill shriek of a hawk. Toph smiled, it meant another letter from Zuko.

"A hawk, but why would it have black ribbons tied to it?" Her mother asked in confusion as the creature circled lower and lower to them. Toph didn't know what the black ribbons were intended to signal either, but it didn't bode well. The creature landed on a tent pole next to them and finally Toph could feel its tiny, rapid pulse.

Her mother reached up and unfastened the scroll on its back, and read it out loud to Toph. "Dear Toph. I need you to come to the Fire Nation, it's urgent. I need your help. I'll explain when you get there. Zuko. P.S. Bring Aang if you find him." Toph bit the inside of her cheek.

"I'm going to pack." Toph announced and started walking off when her mother caught up to her.

"You are not going to the Fire Nation alone!" She announced, trying to sound stern but failed.

"Mom, no offence but Sparky needs my help, and if you don't let me go I'll run away." She turned her back and called over her shoulder. "You'll know where to find me." She could feel her mother struggle with the dilemma Toph had posed her.

"If you are going then I'm coming with you." Her mother called to her and Toph smiled. "And Toph, don't address the Fire Lord as 'Sparky' it's not respectful." Her mother tried to scold her but Toph just laughed.

She giggled, and started walking off in the direction of her tent and yelled back "If Sparky doesn't like it he can kiss my-"

"TOPH!"

* * *

Katara and Sokka were sitting on the half complete wall looking out over the ocean. They had taken most of the morning to waterbend the high wall surrounding the city. Over the past year, the tiny village had been transformed. Where once stood tents and misshapen igloos stood proud houses made of glittering ice. There was even a river that had been conveniently placed there by Master Pakku that allowed the canoes to travel up and down the city easily. The population had grown too, with all the men returning from war many new babies had been springing up. Families had moved from the Northern water tribe had moved down here also.

Now as she looked back Katara almost couldn't recognize the small lonely village where she had grown up, and it made her happy. Everything was turning out for the better now, she was with her family, she had the best friends in the entire world (even if they were miles apart), and she was doing what she loved every day. Nothing could make this better.

_Except maybe a boyfriend…_ Katara mused silently. She was only fifteen, soon to be sixteen, and already boys had approached her father asking for her hand in marriage. He had sent them all to her without a second thought saying "Katara can choose who she wants to be with." Despite her distaste for the sexist rule, Katara wished her father had the judgment to send some of them packing.

Her hopeful courters ranged from the tools who thought fancy Waterbending and bulging muscles was the way to her heart and the others who thought that she was a prize to have since she had been 'good enough for the Avatar'. She had had to freeze more than one of her admirers into an ice block. She needed a guy who was kind, mature, and knew the world didn't revolve around him, Katara decided.

A certain pale, scared man with messy pitch black hair flashed through her mind. She shook her head to clear it of the traitorous thoughts zooming around her head about the Fire Lord. Zuko was her friend, nothing else she told herself stubbornly. Then why did she read every letter he sent to her over and over again just to hear his voice in her head? Why did her heart threaten to break her ribs every time she thought of him?

"What's up?" Sokka asked watching his baby sister's eyes turn downcast and her eyebrows carve lines into her forehead.

"Nothing, it's just…" She thought for a second, "I'm tired, these walls are hard work." Sokka smiled at her.

"Yeah, but at least you have help." They looked behind them at the blue parka wearing Waterbenders on the ground joking, and talking while they took a break.

"It's so pretty here." Katara said and Sokka shrugged.

"Katara, I'm a guy. I don't do 'pretty'." He stated and she smirked.

"You would if Suki said it!" She teased.

"Well she _is _my girlfriend!" Sokka sniffed and Katara rolled her eyes at his hypocrisy. The word girlfriend dragged up her previous thoughts, which set her daydreaming about Zuko again. His golden eyes, his scar, the way he felt when she hugged him. She shut her eyes and fixed her thoughts on other things. She needed to clean up their house. She still hadn't found her spark rocks, and it was nearly impossible to start one of their coal fires without them. _Not if you had a Fire bender handy. _Her treacherous brain cut in and there she was fantasizing about Zuko again.

"Katara, look!" Sokka said and pointed to the sky. She glanced upward to catch a fat black flake of snow on her forehead. The soot fell all around her and she peered out over the icy waters. Sure enough there was a Fire Navy ship chugging along through the ocean.

_Speak of the devil. _Katara thought dryly, though unconsciously a broad smile sneaked its way onto her face. "Come on!" She said and raised a thin stream of water up to them and quickly froze it into a slide.

The wind rushed past them as they skated down to the waiting Water benders, who looked mildly surprised at the black snow falling around them. In the past few months Zuko had been sending his letters to her by trading vessels insisting that the messenger hawks couldn't fare well in the cold.

The ship unloaded a small boat into the freezing water that pushed its way up to iceberg wall. Three water benders lowered it and the tiny ship swam up the river. It lowered it gangplank onto the snow and a fire nation soldier walked out. He looked strangely familiar, though Katara couldn't place where she knew him from.

The soldier looked self-consciously at the crowd of Waterbenders. He ran a hand through his short hair, which was so uncommon for Fire Nation citizens. "Um… Is Lady Katara here?"

"Yes, I'm here." She called from the group and stepped forward. The commander's unease deepened and he shuffled awkwardly. She smiled warmly trying to show the man that they weren't going to hurt him.

"Fire Lord Zuko requires you and your brother's presence at the Royal Palace immediately." He blurted out. Sokka frowned at the man, which did nothing to ease his awkwardness.

"Zuko doesn't…" He started, the idea of being ordered around by his friend was too much for his ego to handle. Luckily Katara didn't have an oversized ego and quickly cut Sokka off.

"What does he need?" She asked a little worried. Zuko was too proud to ask for any help in running his country. If he was 'requiring their presence' it wasn't a good sign.

"He didn't say, but he seemed… excited." The word rolled unfamiliarly from the man's lips. The Water tribe siblings glanced at each other in surprise. Grumpy, angry, sullen Zuko was… excited? Something was definitely wrong.

"The ship was sent for you," The man indicated the waiting Fire Navy vessel.

"That's a little convenient. What makes Zuko think we will just drop everything and leave?" Sokka asked a little annoyed at his old friend.

"I don't know… The Fire Lord instructed me to pass on the message and… beg… you two to come." The man was struggling for words, or was just too embarrassed to plead.

"Well when you put it like that!" Sokka said enthusiastically, now that Zuko was asking for their assist he had no problem going to help him. As long as it was Zuko's self-esteem that was taking the blow.

"Be nice!" Katara said swatting her brother on the arm. "We would be honored…" She trailed off and the man piped up.

"Captain Jee, we've actually met before." He held out his hand and Katara shook it.

"We have?" She inquired, and Captain Jee looked ill at ease again.

"I was assigned to Fire Lord Zuko's ship when he was… gone." Katara instantly remembered where she had seen him before. He was always on deck whenever they were trying to evade Zuko's fire blasts from the back of Appa.

"Oh, well… I wished we met on better circumstances then, Captain Jee." She smiled to let him know that he was forgiven.

"Me too, Lady Katara." He smiled back and silence fell only to be broken by Sokka.

"Now tell me Captain Jee…" He started then got a strange glint in his eye. "Is there any meat onboard?"

"I think so." Jee said confused and Sokka's face lit up.

"When do we leave?" He asked, now ecstatic. Katara rolled her eyes at her brother while her heart hammered away. She was going to see Zuko again, a little smile flitted across her face at the thought.

* * *

**Hello everyone reading this! For starters I want to thank you all for reading 'Hold on' inspired by Michael Buble's song Hold On. And also that is how I do all of my A/N's XD usually they're a lot funnier but I couldn't really think of anything funny... **

**The song above represents Zuko's frustration with his father and the year that he had had to suffer through with him and how upset he is! I usually pick better songs but I couldn't think of anything for this one! *sheepish grin* A little code to help you with my songs Michael Buble = Zutara fluffy David Cook = emotional stuffy stuff Everything else = just about anything ;)**

**This is my first Zutara/Avatar the last Airbender fic! and I'm apologizing now for any mistakes I make on Chinese Culture or anything because all I know about the Chinese are things from watching Chinese soccer and Mulan from Disney :P So please tell me if I made any mistakes on that part! **

**Also some promises I make you! I will respond to every review/PM you send me... unless you tell me not to because I can get a little annoying :) Another thing! I will TRY! (key word is Try) to get keep updating within 2 weeks of my last update! If I don't I apologize in Advance. I'm taking all AP classes (classes for nerds) and I'm usually going to be snowed with Homework! One more thing! I will always read through the new chapter edit it, send it to my beta to edit, and then edit it again! So if you see anything wrong whether it's from bad grammar, to a terrible chapter please tell me! **

**If you liked this story please review! Whether it's Constructive Criticism or "I like it please upload!" It makes me so happy and if I'm happy I usually don't kill off anyone important! :)**

**Thank you again for reading I hope you enjoyed it!**


	2. Hysteria

**Me: Hello and welcome to another chapter of Hold On!**

**Lupe: Question! *hand up***

**Me: What?**

**Lupe: It's for Zuko.**

**Zuko: What is it?**

**Lupe: Why does everyone put you with Katara? You two hated each other for the greater part of a year! **

**Zuko: That… is a great question! *turns head to Bridget* Yeah, why is that?**

**Me: Um… it just works…**

**Lupe: But how? They're completely opposites! I mean Katara's so nice and Zuko's an asshole!**

**Zuko: YEAH! Wait! I'm not an asshole!**

**Me: Yeah… you are Zuko… but don't worry you're a hot asshole! Anyway, but have you ever heard of opposites attract?**

**Lupe: But who would want to spend the entire day with someone you have nothing in common with?**

**Zuko: I AM NOT AN ASSHOLE!**

**Me/Lupe: *stares* You're right… you're more of a douche bag.**

**Zuko: GRRRR!**

_It's bugging me, grating me  
and twisting me around  
Yeah I'm endlessly caving in  
and turning inside out_

'cause I want it now  
I want it now  
give me your heart and your soul

**Hysteria - Muse**

Chapter 2 – Hysteria

"We cannot function under the heavy debt the war has put us in! Not with all the land we lost, the diminishing population, and the lack of trade we've had for these long years!" One of the men below Zuko ranted.

Behind his wall of fire Zuko was tempted to roll his eyes. They had been debating the same point for over an hour and it was starting to piss him off. He could be using this time to get ready for seeing Katara… and Toph and Sokka of course.

"We should impose a new tax." One of the members offered, and Zuko was forced to pay attention. This was new to the discussion and he just had to catch the gist of it before he can turn back to his thoughts.

"The commoners are in poverty already! Any further tax would ruin us!" Another reasoned, and privately Zuko agreed with him. "We should wait, let the economy recover and then-" A college of him interrupted with,

"We cannot simply wait! The people must pay for the sanctuary we provide, if that means they must tighten their belts then so be it." Zuko frowned at the man. Didn't he know what it was like to not know where his next meal was coming from? If they could to buy enough food with the money they were able to save from their day's work? Of course he didn't! He had lived his entire life in a plush house, with servants to wait on him hand and foot.

Zuko was the one who had starved along with the other refugees, had been forced to steal and lie just to get something as basic as food. "I agree we must impose a new tax," Zuko cut in not caring who he just interrupted. "Though I think we should tax silks, ceramic pottery, items of that nature. Not tea, cotton, or iron."

"But, Fire Lord Zuko, many of the commoners cannot afford to buy silks, and pottery. Why would we tax those things?" One of the men spoke out, and Zuko sighed, sometimes his advisers can be so stupid.

"The tax is not directed at the commoners, like you said before they are too far in poverty to handle a new tax. It is directed at the higher class, the nobles." The council member's mouths dropped open at once and started contradicting him.

"You can't…" "It just isn't proper…""Why would you…" "With all due respect..." Zuko glared at them and they all fell quiet to hear "Fire Lord Ozai would never bow to this madness."

The quietness of the council turned to a hideous shock-filled silence. Zuko's smugness shattered and the wall of fire careened to the roof. The man who had spoken stood up, his face considerably paler than before. Zuko recognized him instantly. Han had always opposed him in everything he did. He was a supporter of Zuko's father.

Not directly of course, Zuko wouldn't keep Han around if that was true. He didn't want to keep him around anyway, but now that most of his father's advisors had been replaced, Zuko needed someone who knew how the system would work.

"That is why I am Fire Lord and not Ozai." Zuko stated. "We would still be fighting a war if that were true." He tried to keep the flames level as his anger surged. Han seemed to quell his fear, and looked defiantly at Zuko's silhouette.

"A war we were winning!" Han declared.

"No, they weren't! The Avatar easily destroyed Ozai. Katara and I took down Azula. And one Earthbender and two warriors obliterated the fleet of airships." Zuko asserted not including himself with the old Fire Nation. "On the day Sozin's comet returned, when our power was at its fullest."

"Azula didn't go quietly." Han accused, and Zuko lost control again. Flames obscured his vision of the room in front of him and he took that opportunity to clutch at his chest, right where the lightning struck. He never saw the scar as a sign of dishonor or weakness the way he used to see the scar on his face. He saw it as a show of commitment and love for his country and Katara… though he wasn't sure he loved her, he wasn't even sure that she lo-liked him back, what would happen if she didn't? What would happen if she did? What if-

Zuko mentally slapped himself for letting his attention wander and stored his insecurities away in the reassesses of his mind. "I would know that better than anyone, no need to remind me" Zuko said coldly. "And I will not make my people suffer to protect a misguided sense of superiority. You will impose the new tax. I expect the document to be on my desk tonight."

"We wouldn't have this problem if we were still at war." Han shot out bitterly, a last ditch effort.

"If we were still at war, families would be ripped apart, a crazy woman would be Fire Lord, and an entire nation would be lost, just like the Air Nomads! This discussion is _over."_ Zuko snarled the last word and Han, sat down, blushing and furious.

Zuko let the silence hang in the room, no one brave enough to contradict their fuming Fire Lord. "That is all we need to discuss your Majesty." Zuko's most trusted advisor, Fong, said quietly.

"Thank you, you're dismissed." The Council left one by one Han leaving first, Fong last. As soon as Zuko was alone, he let his shoulders slump and the fire die. He tore his crown off and let his hair fall in his face as he fell back on the dais. "Ugh." He groaned and rubbed his temples trying to soothe the pound in his head. There was the creak of the door and Zuko looked up at the interruption.

Uncle Iroh was standing there smiling at his nephew in a comforting kind of way. "I heard." He said and Zuko let his head fall back on the floor with a thud.

"It's not the end of the world when someone disagrees with you." Iroh muttered and Zuko screwed his eyes shut. He didn't want to talk about this, his cut hurt, he had a headache and he just wanted to go to bed. "You need to overcome this obstacle in your life if you wish to unite our nation."

"How Uncle? How can I please everyone while trying to do what's best for my people?" Zuko growled, letting his anger out.

"You need to find the way yourself, but just remember no one is ever truly happy with a compromise." Iroh said and Zuko rubbed his eyes, barley feeling his rough skin of the scar. "Now, I believe we have time for a cup of tea before a certain pretty Waterbender comes." Zuko bolted up right.

"WHAT?" He blurted out before regaining his senses. Iroh was smiling at him. "I… don't know what you mean." Zuko flustered, which just broadened Iroh's grin. "If you tell anyone…" He threatened confirming Iroh's suspicions. This made him chuckle.

"You mean everyone doesn't know already." Iroh teased, which made Zuko's good eye fly open with shock, his face was rather comical. "Don't worry, no one knows…yet."

"Thank you Un-Wait what do you mean yet?" Zuko panicked. He wondered just how many hints Iroh will drop at dinner tonight.

"You aren't exactly subtle Zuko. I could figure this out through a letter. You need to act more… natural." Zuko blushed.

"Uncle…this is very…uncomfortable." Zuko sighed through his teeth. When Iroh frowned in hurt Zuko amended "I only meant this is… I haven't talked about this much."

"That's obvious." Iroh chortled. Then, noticing his nephew's haggard expression quickly became silent. "Do you plan on acting on your… feelings?"

"No. Yes. I don't know!" He stuttered and grabbed at his hair as if he was trying to yank it out. "What do I do?" He whimpered, for what seemed like in years, sounding like a confused teenager instead of an adult trying to make his way in the world.

"Tell her you like her." Iroh answered quickly. "It's not hard." Zuko swallowed with difficulty

"If it's alright for you I'm going to wait on that." Zuko stumbled. "My brain is a little overwhelmed at the moment." _And I'm so terrified I'm about to pass out. _

"Okay, now how about that tea?" Iroh asked lightening the mood instantly. Zuko sighed, scraped his hair into its top knot again and stuck his crown on following his uncle back to his room.

Katara was being escorted through the palace doors along with Sokka and Toph. The guide, whose name was Lari, was pretty, with long black hair pulled back in a customary top knot. She wore a red dress similar to the one Katara used to wear when they were hiding in the Fire Nation. She smiled and talked graciously about their trip, and their feats.

"I'm just so humbled to be in your presence Sir Sokka." She beamed at the person in question. 'Sir' Sokka smirked at this and gave a smug look to Katara.

"You'll be wishing you weren't in the presence of 'Sir Sokka' in a few minutes." Toph cut in grumpily. "Trust me." the smile slid off Sokka's face.

"Well at least I still don't have my mother dress me!" He shot back. Toph growled. This had been a sore point with her all afternoon. She was wearing an outfit similar to the one they had seen her wear at her home in Ba Sing Se. Her dress was a pale green with misty patterns curling across it. A thin veil of silk was draped across her shoulders and her black hair had been wrangled back into a neat bun. She looked so pretty, but that didn't stop her from Earthbending Sokka across the hall.

"YOU KNOW WHAT SNOOZLES! I HAVE HALF A MIND TO EARTHBEND YOUR ASS TO THE MOON! SO JUST KEEP TALKING!" She bellowed causing Lari to recoil as if she couldn't believe that the small blind girl had so much spirit bottled up in her.

Sokka rubbed his back where Toph's spire had hit him. Katara bit her tongue to keep from laughing. She was wearing her favorite outfit which was of course, blue. Nearly the same as Sokka's only his was more masculine.

Lari coughed nervously, "We must not keep the Fire Lord and the Avatar waiting." She said and they all resumed walking.

Katara was nearly twitching with nerves. Would she embarrass herself? Would she trip and hurt herself right in front of Zuko? Would he think that she was stupid and annoying in person? What if he lost his memory and didn't remember her at all? She bit her lip.

"Would you calm down Sweetness?" Toph complained and Katara jumped. "Jeez you're heartbeat is going crazy! It's just Aang and Zuko." Katara tried not to react to his name.

"And Iroh." She said grinning meekly. Toph rolled her sightless eyes. "Don't forget him."

"It would be better if you call the Fire Lord 'Fire Lord Zuko.'" Lari said disapprovingly. All three of them looked at her confused then seeing she was serious burst into ruckus laughter.

"You should have heard what we used to call him before!" Sokka snickered.

"Don't!" Toph chastised still shaking from giggles. "We'd probably get arrested for treason or something like that." This brought another horrified look from Lari. Katara smiled and shoved her fear down into her stomach where it wouldn't bother her anymore…she hoped.

"We are here." Lari stated after several more minutes of Toph and Sokka poking fun at Zuko and Katara gnawing her lip off. She bowed to them, a little stiffly, and walked off. Katara nearly fainted with worry (her fear didn't stay down for long) Behind the ornate door was Zuko, the man she had been pinning for ever since she had left the Fire Nation.

"Should we knock or something?" Sokka asked, and Toph shrugged. Katara wanted to suggest running away but that would only arouse questions. No one would know about her crush on the Fire Lord if she had any say in it.

Just then, a man in armor opened the door, his face hiding behind one of the stupid white masks. "The Fire Lord is waiting." He said in a muffled voice.

Sokka strode in without a second thought and Toph stubbornly waited for Katara prolonging her humiliation for a few more precious seconds. Katara swallowed nervously and followed her brother, her stomach doing back flips.

The flames spread across the back wall providing the only light in the room. Zuko stood in front of it in red and golden robes. His silky raven hair pulled back into the top knot, holding the crown in his tresses, the insignia glowing with a red light in the fire. His face was set into a grim mask, his golden eyes hard, and shadows playing his scar in an evil light. It took Katara's breath away. She hadn't seen him in months. He had hardly changed at all, he still kept his hair just barley long enough to pull back, he was still taller than anyone else in the room, his handsome face still turned her knees to jelly.

He met her eyes and she felt a shiver run down her spine. Zuko looked back before letting his firm gaze pass to something behind her. His eyes melted and a small smirk crossed his face, until the proud, stoic Fire Lord threw back his head and laughed.

Katara smiled and turned to see a not very amused Toph glaring at Zuko. Katara giggled and then, relief flowing through her, cracked up. Sokka joined in and finally the whole room was laughing.

Aang, who had been standing at Zuko's right clad in his traditional Air Nomad garb, grasped Zuko's shoulder to keep himself steady and Iroh, who was at Zuko's left, tried to cover his smile with his hand.

Toph shouted above the noise "You're lucky you have your guards here Sparky! Or else I would beat the crap out of you! Same goes for you Twinkle Toes!"

Zuko finally muffled his snickering and smiled at them. "It's so good to see you all!" He said, Toph muttered darkly under her breath. Katara was thankful that she couldn't hear the Earthbender's comments.

"It's good to see you too Zuko!" Katara said beaming. "And Aang and Iroh. I've missed you guys so much!"

"Yeah, what she said." Sokka said and he went up and gave Aang a one armed hug. Katara smiled and walked up to Zuko not sure to hug him or not. Would it seem awkward if she hugged him? Would he think that she was touchy? Little did she know the same thoughts were coursing through Zuko's mind.

He gently pulled her into a quick hug and she wrapped her arms around his back. He was warm and solid. They fit into each other so naturally her heart started crashing in her chest. She could feel his strong muscles through his robe and when he pulled away she longed to throw herself back into his arms and stay there forever.

Katara moved to Iroh who hugged her as well. He was wearing the most peculiar expression, he looked as if he knew something everyone else didn't. Katara dismissed the thought instantly. "I've heard you visited everyone else but me, I'm hurt." He smiled to show he was kidding. She mockingly hit his head. The old man looked relatively the same from when she last saw him all those months ago in the Jasmine Dragon after the war had finally ended, if a little less worn.

"I knew I forgot someone." She said. Then she saw Aang, he gave her a one armed hug just like Sokka. She knew that all feelings of love for her had gone from the boy and that they were simply friends, just like they always have been.

"Hey Katara," He said in his awkward teenage voice that was half way between child and adult. He had shot up, now and was taller than her if only by a couple inches. His arrow tattoos popped against his forehead.

"Hey Aang, any luck?" She asked and his good mood instantly dropped. It seemed as if the whole room had gone quiet. Katara fumbled for anything to say, she had only asked about his quest for the Airbenders out of politeness. She hadn't meant to hurt him.

"No," He sighed then he perked up again. "But I got to ride the giant sloth-leopards! It was so much fun, Momo got a little scared of them but Appa just loved it! And then this one time…" The Avatar started gushing about his travels and Toph took Katara's place. She smiled and gave the Airbender a slug on his shoulder and he broke off in his story about the flying hog-monkeys.

"Ow!" He complained and rubbed his arm.

"You're lucky I didn't smack you into next week Twinkles! You hardly wrote!" She accused, a smirk flashed across her face. The two started arguing about what was considered a note or a letter and whether Aang had written more of the latter than the prior.

"When did you two get in?" Sokka asked Iroh, and Zuko went to stand besides Katara watching the two children fight.

"A few days before you." Iroh explained. "I was on my way here anyway for Zuko's birthday. I saw Aang on the way and he offered me a ride. We got a right scare when the messenger hawk nearly hit us."

"I'm sure the hawk wasn't overjoyed about it either." Zuko muttered. Katara lips twitched in a smile.

"Well if you hadn't made your note so urgent then the hawk wouldn't be flying so fast. So I think you owe the hawk an apology!" Sokka reasoned and Zuko smirked.

"I'll get right on that." He said. Then, out of nowhere Katara hit his arm. Hard.

She glared at him and he stared back in bewilderment. "What did I do? I said I would apologize to the thing!" He jokingly tacked on the last part, but Katara didn't react to his weak humor.

"You made it sound like you were hurt or something! You really had me, I mean us, worried!" She flushed at her mistake.

Zuko's eyes narrowed as he worked through what she said. Then his good eye widened again in realization. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just wanted you to come. Quickly." He bit his cheek and added a bit hurriedly, "I mean all of you."

Iroh idly wondered how no one knew about Katara's and Zuko's obvious feeling for each other. He wondered how they didn't know it themselves.

"Why?" Katara asked frowning slightly, Toph and Aang had stopped bickering for five seconds to listen to Zuko's reply.

Zuko shifted uncomfortably and looked around the room. Eyeing his guards with suspicion, Katara wondered what had made him like this.

"I'll tell you all at dinner tonight." He said and let a small, crooked smile flit across his face. It melted Katara's heart.

"Okay, but you better have a pretty damn good reason for worrying them so much!" Toph growled, Zuko raised his eyebrow at her.

"You weren't worried about me?" He asked and she vehemently shook her head.

"Nope!" She said brightly and Sokka frowned.

"Well I wasn't worried either!" He denied and Katara laughed at his lack of manly pride.

"Sure you weren't." She called and Zuko snickered at her joke, she grinned at him. The look on her face, and the thought that he made her smile made Zuko's heart skip. Maybe, he could just take his uncle's advice, just come out with and say that he thought about her all the time.

_Well don't say that! _He admonished himself. _It makes you sound like a creeper! _He was pulled from his thoughts to see his uncle talking to Katara in a rather loud voice.

"It's good for Zuko to have some sort of company, he's quiet deprived of female attention ever since you left." Uncle went on. Katara blushed.

"Really?" She asked timidly.

"Oh yes! He seems so much happier now that you're back!" He continued and Zuko could feel his own cheeks growing warm.

"Really?" She repeated. Zuko flushed and wanted to just melt into the floor. Why did he even entertain the thought of telling her the truth, of course she didn't like him back. He was so stupid! He had to do something but in his humiliation his mind went blank.

"You mean me right Iroh. 'Cuz I know Sparky has just been _dying_ to see me." Toph mocked.

"You keep thinking that Toph." Zuko said jokingly. Everyone laughed at his comment, even Katara. After that though an awkward silence filled the room. "I will show you to your rooms."Zuko posed.

"That would be good, I've been dying for a decent bed." Sokka grumbled. "That ship is really uncomfortable." Katara sighed, as if she was used to his complaining.

"Try living there for three years," Zuko muttered. "With Uncle singing every Thursday, that's not just uncomfortable. It's torture."

They walked out of the throne room. "Was I really that bad?" Iroh asked in confusion as if he didn't know that his voice could turn milk sour.

"Yes," Zuko pouted. "And you made me play the stupid Sungi Horn!"

"I'm sure you weren't that bad I-" Katara comforted then she looked up and smiled at Zuko. "You play the Sungi Horn?"

"No," He said firmly, she gave him a look and he sighed. "Yes, I wasn't very good at it."

"You were probably better at it than me." Aang cut in and, at the confused look Zuko and Iroh gave the young Airbender the others started to laugh at the inside joke.

"What is it?" Iroh asked confused. But Sokka waved him off.

"Nothing, nothing." He snorted and he then whispered to Katara. "Sapphire Fire." And the siblings burst into fits of giggles.

"Do you still have that stupid beard?" She asked and Sokka nodded. Zuko and Iroh still didn't understand what was going on.

"What the HELL are you talking about?" Zuko asked. They ignored him, saying something about Cactus Juice, and they all started snickering again.

After a few more minutes of reminiscing from their part Aang asked "How's life as Fire Lord treating you anyway Zuko?"

"Really dull, I haven't had a good fight in forever." He complained lightly _Well not forever, _He thought. Zuko contemplated telling them about the assassination attempt but decided against it. No need to worry them.

"Well we'll have to change that won't we?" Toph challenged and then called, "Aang versus All… minus Sokka."

Aang looked crestfallen. "Why don't I get a team?" He whined.

"Your four bending skills count as a person each so I think it's fair." Toph reasoned, and Aang shrugged.

"Minus me? Why minus me?" Sokka asked and Katara shook her head.

"Because well, you can't bend and-" Sokka interrupted loudly.

"Neither could Mai or Ty Lee but that keep them from kicking your butt did it now?" He growled and Katara hit his shoulder.

"Ow! what the hell- oh." He followed his gaze to Zuko who had turned away at the mention of his ex girlfriend. He quickly looked back seeing as how this would look, not wanting to give Katara the wrong impression. _Not that it mattered._ His mind spat back.

"No, it's fine. I'm over it, I was over it a long time ago." Zuko said turning around. "This is your room by the way Toph."

Zuko lead them around the palace, until everyone besides his Uncle and Katara were left. He mentally kicked himself for placing her room the farthest away from his, and making him escort her around the whole palace just to keep his thoughts from drifting to her in the night.

"As thrilling as this," Uncle said breaking the momentary silence. "I must excuse myself, I haven't been sleeping well and I would like to take a nap."

"Okay, see you at dinner." Katara said. Zuko nodded to his uncle just waiting for-

"We're both _really_ glad to see you Katara," the stupid hint that he knew his Uncle couldn't resist dropping.

"Is he feeling alright?" Katara asked.

"Unfortunately." Zuko muttered and Katara frowned at him.

"What's wrong with you? You've been on edge ever since we got here." She accused and Zuko sighed. He didn't want to tell her why he was so 'on edge'. That would go over well, just blurt out 'Yeah, I've been a little busy with my own advisors not respecting my rule, an assassination attempt on my life, my mother coming back from the dead, and you came back after months of rereading your letters until I've memorized them and then imagining just holding you, and kissing you while I was supposed to figuring out a way to solve my people's poverty all the while trying to balance everything else. No big.'

Instead he just said. "Just tired I guess, the nights of the Fire Lord are filled with long hours and much paperwork.

"I know your lying what's really wrong?" She asked a disapproving look in her eyes. He shrugged and winced as the skin pulled at the cut on his arm.

"I'll tell you at dinner tonight." He reassured._ Well, not everything._ He amended in his mind. "This is your room by the way."

He tugged on the door and it opened. Katara stared at him. Her eyes worried ignoring the room completely.

"Okay," She went into her room and hesitated in the door way. "Oh, Zuko, It's really good to be back, I've missed you." She went red as the words slipped out of her mouth. Why had she said that? Stupid! Why couldn't she just thank him like a normal person?

To her astonishment Zuko smiled, his eyes warm. "I've missed you too." He said before fidgeting nervously and let the door close, leaving her in a dark room, trying to settle the pounding of her heart.

Zuko swallowed on the other side of the door and smiled again, she had missed him that was a good sign. Wasn't it?

**Hello and thank you for reading this! I just want to thank you all my Reviewers/Alerters/Favoritorers/Readers you are AWESOME! I really want to give you all a cookie! Unless you don't like cookie then you can have a hug! And I'm really sorry for this filler chapter. I promised myself that I wouldn't write one this early on but this was going to be the first half of one chapter, but after 11 pages and still not even getting to the dinner scene I figured Screw it.**

**The above conversation is a conversation I had with my beta. She isn't a Zutara shipper (*GASP*) and I was trying to explain it to her but it didn't work, so if any of you have any ideas please help convert this poor deprived girl. **

**So a funny story to apologize for my filler chapter. I was babysitting my 7 year old cousin and she was bored so we went to blockbuster. While I was picking between bribing the cashier into letting me get Slum dog Millionaire or Aladdin (for me of course :)) my cousin comes up to me and holds out the DVDs for the first season of Avatar. I told her no, she asked why and I said because Zuko is bald and if we were going to get anything it's anything from the second season or third. She was so happy so we got the last DVD to season 3. While we were watching the EIP, I was laughing my ass off about the Zutara part on stage and my cousin was angry. I asked her what the matter was; she said "They're making fun of my ship." I laughed so hard and I know why she is my favorite cousin!**

**Okay, so the song represents the longing Katara and Zuko feel for each other even if the lyrics are more… needy… And I love reviewers because they are AMAZING (hint hint please review :) Thank you for reading and now it's time to go**

**UPDATE: This is the beta'ed version of the chapter my awesome beta, Lupe got together in the end :D Let's all give her a round of applause. **


	3. All Fall Down

**Lupe: Hi everybody! Bridget's acting a little… strange today… must be those pills the doctor gave her…**

**Me: HEY ZUKOOOOOOOO! **

**Zuko: Good God what now?**

**Me: Can you sing? *smiles like an idiot***

**Zuko: Oh, hell no.**

**Me: *whines* Please! *pokes Zuko* Come on. *continues to pokes Zuko***

**Zuko: Fine, what do you want me to sing *pissed off***

**Lupe: I don't think you should encourage her like this, she is reverted to a subconscious mind-**

**Me: Anything! Here I'll start!**

**Zuko: I thought you wanted me to sing…**

**Me: YOU MUST BE SWIFT AS A COURSING RIVER! (Be a man) WITH ALL THE FORCE OF A GREAT TYPHOON! (Be a man) WITH ALL THE STRENGTH OF A RAGING FIRE! MYSTERIOUS AS THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!**

**Lupe/Zuko: *looks at each other* do you think we should call the doctor?**

**Me: Now your turn Lupe! **

**Lupe: No… **

**Me: PLEASE! *pokes* **

**Lupe: Fine… what do you want me to sing?**

**Me: ANYTHING!**

**Lupe: And I was like, BABY BA-**

**Zuko: ANYTHING BUT THAT!**

**Me: Zu-zu's right! DEVIL SONG!**

**Lupe: FINE! This could be love because I've had the time of my life. No I never felt this way before-**

**Me: THAT'S BORING!**

**Zuko: I thought it was pretty.**

**Me: What do you know? Now it's your turn anyway! *smiles like a demented person***

**Zuko: Aw, crap. **

**Me: DON'T BE SO NEGATIVE! JUST SING!**

**Zuko: Fine. Um… *sings like Michael Buble*****together all the while you can never say never why we don't know when time and time again younger now then we were before don't let me go,**

**Lupe: *tear* you sing so beauti-**

**Me: THAT'S A BORING SONG TOOOOO SING SOMETHING WITH A LITTLE BOUNCE!**

**Zuko: -_- really? **

**Me: DOOO ITTTT! *Scary***

**Zuko: I'm bringing sexy back, yeah! Them other boys don't know how to act YEAH! I think you're special, what's behind your back? So turn around and I'll pick up the slack**.

**Me: TAKE 'EM TO THE BRIDGE!**

**Zuko: DIRTY BABEEEEEEE YOU BRING THESE SHAKLES BABY I'M YOUR SLLLLAVVVEEE!**

**Lupe: Someone help me!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned ATLA Sozin's real name would be Susan and there would be Flying Bison reserves for the protection of the Sky Bison, who have beaver tails. **

* * *

_Lost till you're found swim till you drown_

_Know that we all fall down_

_Love till you hate strong till you break_

_Know that we all fall down_

**All Fall Down – One Republic**

* * *

Chapter 3- All Fall Down

Katara was fiddling with her hair, trying to decide whether to wear it down or in her traditional braid, and it wasn't going very well. She wondered who the hell cared about her hair and a blush crept along her checks as she thought the answer. _Zuko. _She would look more like herself with the braid she decided. A few minutes later just after brushing her braid out on the pretenses of 'He tried to kill me more times with the braid than without' someone pounded her door. "KATARA HURRY UP!" She heard Sokka yell over the banging.

She sighed and pulled a hand through her hair, it would have to do. She opened the door to find Sokka pulling back his fist to hammer on the door again. He lowered it sheepishly.

"I'm ready." She said glaring at her brother. "No need to knock the door down."

"You take forever!" Aang complained from where he was leaning against the wall besides Toph. Sokka nodded enthusiastically.

"Well, sorry!" Katara said huffily and they all smirked at her.

"Some people never change." Toph said shaking her head.

They walked to the dining hall with a constant flow of chatter. Aang wanted to know how all the penguins were doing, Toph wanted to know if Sokka still 'had the hots' for Suki, Katara wanted to know if Toph had done something other than fight the past year, and Sokka wanted to hear about the northern water tribe from Aang. Following the conversation gave them all a headache but they wouldn't have it any other way, they were all so happy to see each other.

When they finally disentangled themselves from the winding halls, Zuko and Iroh were waiting by the door into the dining hall. Iroh smiled and nodded his head towards the group but Zuko, who was practically twitching, sighed impatiently.

"What kept you?" He asked in an irritated voice. He kept fidgeting with his hands as if trying to untangle invisible wire.

"Katara took for_ever_!" Sokka complained and Zuko raised his good eyebrow at her, his foot started to tap. She ducked her head and blushed.

"Sorry." She muttered and he cracked a smile. She blushed even more at his small grin.

"Can we go in or something? I'm starving." Sokka asked impishly.

Two guards opened the door for their leader and Zuko strode confidently in taking the seat at the head of the table. Everyone filled in behind him, letting Aang take the chair to his right. Katara let Irohpass so he could get to the left hand seat but he politely held it out for her. Zuko gave his uncle a hard look.

Breaking the momentary awkwardness servants flocked the table with trays laying them down in the center and serving each of the guests. Katara thanked everyone and was received by shocked looks and whispers of 'It's no trouble, Lady Katara.'

After the flustering of servant was over they backed up against the wall and Zuko waved a dismissive hand. "That will be all." The servants bowed and filed out a small door towards the back. Zuko gazed them anxiously with his amber eyes making sure they all left.

As soon as the servant's door closed with a quiet click Zuko let his shoulders slump, and released a heavy breath. He pulled his hair free of his tight topknot, gently laying the emblem on the table next to him. "Finally." He said and leaned back in his chair.

Katara unconsciously smiled as Zuko's messy black hair fell into his eyes. He looked so much better with his hair down. It was like the good old days.

"So, now you're all comfy, spill!" Sokka demanded and Katara started in surprise, woken from her daydreaming. "Why did you bring us all here?" Everyone looked towards Zuko in anticipation.

Zuko glanced at each of them, Katara last. Then dropping his eyes to his crown he murmured. "I know where my mother is."

Zuko watched each of their reactions carefully. Toph was speechless. Iroh was starting to breath heavy a faint smile crossing his face. Aang and Sokka mouths both dropped open at the same time and Katara… Katara's face fell and she cocked her head, not as if she was confused but as if she just got the news that someone was badly hurt.

"So… um… yeah… Well I was kind of hoping that you would… come with me and help me find her…"He was thrown by Katara's deepening look of shock and pity.

"How?" Aang asked confused.

"My father made a mistake."Zuko answered simply. "And I took advantage."

"Where?" Sokka said.

"The mountains in the Earth kingdom, she is with some Earthbenders there."

"When are we leaving? Well… if everyone wants too." Aang said and he smiled at Zuko. Zuko gave a small grin and turned to Sokka.

"Of course man!" He reached over holding out his fist and Zuko pounded Sokka's knuckles with his own.

"Toph?" He asked tentatively. Toph smiled.

"I'm going. Hey, maybe I'll get my fieldtrip after all!" She laughed. Zuko turned to Uncle Iroh deliberately avoiding Katara's steely gaze. Not that Iroh was much better, Zuko felt guilty for just using him.

Iroh smiled at him comfortingly. "I assume you need a temporary Fire Lord." It wasn't a question and Zuko shrugged shamefaced.

"Sorry, it's not that-" Iroh cut him off

"I would be honored. It would be nice to take it easy in the palace for a few days, but it sounds like you don't have many of those anymore." Zuko chose to ignore the last part, dismissing it to a simple reference to his argument with Han.

"Thank you Uncle…" He hesitated for a brief second before braving himself to meet Katara's hurt eyes.

"And you Katara?" Zuko questioned and she gazed at him disapprovingly like she did so many months ago across from him in the Western Air Temple.

"I'll go." She started and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Only, because you once helped me with my mother issues and it's time to repay the debt."

That whipped the smile from Zuko's face. The way she talked it sounded as if she had already given up hope that they would find her and it hurt. But, what hurt worse was _why _she was coming along. Katara was just going because she needed to "repay the debt." She was not going because she wanted to or because of him!

_Why would she go just because of me? _He thought bitterly her foul take on his proposition blackening his mood.

"Well, who wants more tea?" Iroh asked breaking the awkward silence. He took the tea pot that a servant had left and topped off their cups with the hot liquid.

Dinner was excellent. Conversation carried on effortlessly and eventually Zuko was lifted out of his rank mood and laughing and telling stories like the rest of them.

Katara had not joined in the discussion. She was pushing her food around her plate solemnly. Zuko glanced over at her every so often and tried to include her in the conversation. She would have no part in it. Katara would just nod or shrug whenever the talk was directed at her.

"How's running a nation working out for you Zuko?" Aang asked. Zuko blinked and tore his concerned eyes away from Katara.

"Oh it's not bad, just a bunch of paperwork, lots of fancy parties, and a few unhappy citizens." Zuko shrugged taking a sip of his tea.

"Very unhappy the way I hear it." Iroh mussed.

"I don't know what you mean." Zuko said staring his uncle strait in his eyes trying to implant this thought into his head. Iroh had been saying these things all night.

"I think you do." Iroh said resisting his efforts of mind control. Zuko scowled. So his uncle knew about the assassin. Wonderful.

"Who told you?" Zuko demanded ignoring the other's questioning looks.

"Fong." Iroh answered simply.

"Damn it!" Zuko swore. "I trusted him!"

"He was worried about you. That's all." Iroh tried to sooth his nephew.

"I don't need people to worry. I'm fine." Zuko said huffily.

"You don't need people to worry about what?" Toph asked confused. Everyone was wearing baffled looks.

"Someone made an attempt on my life. I dealt with it easily enough." He directed the last words towards Iroh.

"Where there is one bee there is surely to be a hive and Zuko you have just kicked it." He quoted. Zuko rolled his eyes at his uncle's warnings.

"I can handle a few stings." He said briefly touching his arm before realizing what he was doing and pretended to smooth down his sleeve.

"Why did they try to kill you?" Sokka asked alarmed.

"They wanted me to step down off the throne. Abdicate." Zuko growled. "I've fought so hard for it. I'm not going to let someone just take it without a fight."

Everyone in the room nodded their consent. Even Katara had looked up during his mini-rant only to drop her gaze when he met it hopefully.

"Well you have us now." Toph said fiercely. Aang nodded. "We'll give them a run for their money if they try anything again."

"Thanks." Zuko said and flicked his eyes towards Katara for the briefest seconds. She hadn't looked up but the tiniest hint of a scowl crossed her face until it became the painful mask she had been wearing before.

Dinner finished with variations of 'I'm glad you found your mother' and 'Sorry that really sucks that there is an assassin after you.' As soon as possible Katara got up and left. Zuko, hurried off to catch her bidding the rest of his company a good night.

"Hey." He called at Katara's retreating back as she walked down the hall. She stopped but didn't turn around. "Hey! What's with you?" Zuko demanded as he caught up with her and put a hand on her shoulder in attempt to make her look at him.

"Nothing, I'm tired." She tried to jerk away from his hand but Zuko's grip remained firm.

"Don't pretend. I know something is bothering you. What is it?" Zuko demanded. Katara turned to face him.

"I. Am. Tired." She said as if she was explaining things to a two year old.

"And I know you're lying. Was it something I said?" His hand slipped from her shoulder down to her arm trying to be comforting.

"Maybe I just don't like dinners alright?" She glared at him but didn't make any move to pull her arm away.

"That's not it." He muttered his eyes were like ice. His grip tightened and Katara winced. Zuko let go of her arm hurriedly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to." He stammered horrified at himself for hurting her.

"You never mean to Zuko but you always do!" She turned away again and stalked off. Zuko ran after her once again.

"What does that mean?" He asked desperately. "I just want to know what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong! Just leave me alone!" She shouted over her shoulder. Zuko was hesitant to touch her again so he darted in front of her path.

"I'm just trying to help." He begged. "Please,"

"If you're really trying to help you'll leave me alone!" She glared at him and tried to side step out of the way but Zuko copied her movements.

"Please." He crooned his voice low and husky. Katara felt her heart go faster at the word. Every inch of Zuko's face expressed just how worried he was. She felt her lips go numb for the briefest seconds, and then her fire came back and so did her anger and hurt.

"Get out of my way!" She said shoving him a little. He stood firm.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." He bargained.

"How about you move or I'll make you move!" She threatened. Zuko didn't budge. Katara drove her hands out hitting his arms. Zuko grimaced and clutched where she had battered him. He quickly recovered himself but the damage has already been done.

"What's wrong with your arm?" She asked concerned. Zuko narrowed his eyes.

"Nothing, just like what's bothering you." He growled. Katara ignored him.

"Let me see." She said in her best doctor like tone. He shifted his shoulder away. "I can help."

"Here's the deal, you tell me what's bothering you and I'll let you play healer with my cut, got it?" Zuko said a little testily. Katara glared at him but eventually nodded.

Zuko pushed up his sleeve to his shoulder revealing the white bandages winding from his elbow up his arm. There was a single scarlet slash running down the blank wrappings like a horrible splatter of paint.

"How did this happen?" Katara hissed grabbing Zuko's elbow and examining the bandages.

"My letter opener slipped." Zuko answered sarcastically. Then serious and embarrassed at the same time he said. "I didn't fare as well as I let on in my… fight." Katara gaped at him eyes wide.

"You need to come back to my room. I've got water there, I can help you." She said and swiftly turned away. Zuko shook down his sleeve and followed Katara.

"Don't forget our deal." He remarked as she slowly unwound his bandages revealing little by little the thin red slashes. He was sitting on her bed, his sleeve pushed up again and Katara sat cross-legged next to him a bowl of water on her night stand. "I want to know why you're mad."

Katara glared at him and pursed her lips. "It's you." She admitted and he dropped his gaze to his feet in shame.

"Is it something I said?" He asked cautiously. He wouldn't risk hurting her again, now that he knew it what him she was mad at.

"No, it's nothing like that, you didn't say anything." By this time she was half way done revealing his injury.

"Then what did I do?" When she hesitated, Zuko ground his teeth. He hated himself for making her upset. _Why can't I do anything right? _He asked himself irritably.

"You… it's not what you did either." She said keeping her face neutral as she finished uncovering Zuko's wound. "It's what you're going to do."

"Clear as mud is the mind of a woman." He quoted angrily.

"It's just that…" She fumbled for the word as she fixed his sleeve into place. "I don't know how to say this."

"Just try." He begged as Katara bent the water up from the bowl onto his arm. The water glowed an unearthly blue and cool numbness seeped over the wound.

"I don't think you'll like it very much." She admitted as her hands settled around the cut trying to force the water to heal the old gash.

"I don't care." He stubbornly stated. "I don't want to upset you anymore."

She turned her head away in embarrassment and whispered. "I don't want you going off to find your mother."

Zuko jerked his arm way from her the water splashing over the bed as he stood up. "How can you say that?" He growled.

"I knew you would react this way." She answered dolefully. Zuko ignored her.

"You have no idea what it was like to lose her! She was the only one who made life here bearable! Then she just left! I thought she was DEAD!" He yelled the last words. Katara noticed the candle on the bedside table flicker and grow. "And now that I know she's alive again you just want me to let her go?"

"How do you know she's still alive?" Katara asked quietly. Zuko flinched and lost his anger. Obviously this was something that had been preying on his mind also.

"I… I just know!" Zuko shouted, and then turned away so that Katara could only see his scar. "She can't be dead, she can't be." He muttered to himself.

Katara put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Zuko shook it off coldly. "I can't watch you get your hopes up just to have them fall. I care about you too much." She whispered. His heart skipped a beat but in his fear and anger he hardly acknowledged it.

"You think," Zuko rasped. "That if there is even a snowball chances in a forest fire that I wouldn't take it?" Katara looked away. "What would you do if after all these years your mother came back to life?"

"That is EXACTLY why I don't want you to go!" She hissed, her anger returning with a fury. "You have no _CLUE _what I went through after she died! The guilt I felt! She died protecting me!" She stood up to glare down at Zuko. "So stop playing the guilt card with me and tell me that you won't be as stupid to let yourself get hurt like that!" She screamed.

Zuko was stunned. He had never thought that she would blow up like that. He could see that she was angrier at herself than anything else, but how could he say that with sounding like a conceded asshole? He really couldn't, so he didn't say anything.

Katara glared at him, daring him to say something, anything. She knew she shouldn't have gotten so mad, it wasn't his fault. She was hurt and jealous that Zuko had another chance when she didn't. She was also confused. She wanted to protect him from all the pain she had felt when her mother passed because of some stupid crush she had on him.

After what seemed like hours Katara finally broke the silence. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" She swallowed nervously. Zuko smiled his crooked grin and she knew all was forgiven.

"I know what you mean." Zuko murmured. "And I would understand if you don't want to come with us, it would be alright…" He trailed off awkwardly. He didn't want her not to come but he also didn't want to force her into something he knew she disagreed with.

"No, I said I'm coming and I'm seeing this through until the end." He smiled and Katara felt her heart melt. She noticed his half healed arm and bent the water out of her bed sheets. "Hold still this time."

"Okay," Zuko relented. He closed his eyes and focused on the cool relief the water brought.

"All done." Katara announce proudly after a few minutes. Zuko looked down at his arm and the feint white line that had replaced the ghastly scar, and then up to Katara's beaming face.

"Thanks, I owe you one." He murmured. Katara bit her lip.

"No problem…" She replied uneasily. Zuko cleared his throat and Katara picked at her nails.

"So… I'll see you tomorrow morning." He said and Katara nodded. Neither made a move to get up. "You know… at training…" He felt so stupid saying that.

"Yes, good night." Katara said quietly. Zuko stood up and walked to the door then turned his golden eyes sparkling in the soft lamp light.

"Good night, sweet dreams." He whispered in a low husky voice. Katara's heart went wild and her throat dry. The door swung closed behind him with a soft click.

* * *

Katara twisted and thrashed around in the silken scarlet sheets. Her eyelids flickered in time with her rolling eyes. Her breathing came in rapid gasping. She was having a nightmare.

_She was standing in her tiny ice hut, looking up at the horrible Southern Raider's captain. Her mother was on the ground. "You heard your mother! Go!" He hissed. _

_"Mom, I'm scared." Katara whimpered. Her mother looked at her with sad, pitiful eyes. _

_"Go on sweetie." She muttered and Katara didn't move. She was paralyzed with fear. The captain growled and sent a fire blast at her mother. Katara couldn't move fast enough. Her mother was dead. She felt pain rip through her chest as she reached the body. She knelt down and stroked her mother's lifeless cheek. "No, no, _no!" _She screamed. _

She heard someone shout and woke up with tears streaming down her face. Katara started shivering and curled into a ball, her body wracked with sobs, pain searing through her heart. She buried her head in her pillow until her crying became sobs, her sobs became whimpers and she finally drifted off to sleep again.

* * *

**Aww… poor crying Katara :'( At this point my English teacher would be asking what this foreshadows. I would say that it foreshadows that she's going to cry some more and I would fail the test… GOOD THING THIS ISNT ENGLISH! :D **

**For atonement for that piece of crap chapter I gave you last time I tried to get this one out early. At least… moderately earlier….**

**Thank you all of my reviewer/Alerters/favoriter/readers who haven't done a thing towards giving me feedback of any kind and just thought it looked interesting! You all made my week and what a crappy week it has been! So again I beg! REVIEW! PLEASE! MAKE A NERDY GIRL GIGGLE AND GRIN LIKE AN IDIOT! **

**Last weekend I fell (*cough cough* tripped *cough cough*) in the first minute of my soccer game and had to sit out the rest of the 89 minutes. I hobbled around on it for two days before I noticed a nasty bruise and went to the doctor. Turns out I sprained my ankle and had to get crutches which gave me bruises on my armpits and I have to wear a stupid ankle brace which itches. This is where my above A/N comes from. One day before school my ankle was bugging me a lot so I took an aspirin or so I thought… it was actually 3. So I was a little loopy. It was so funny to watch my friends reactions :D (and btw no offense to anyone with beiber fever out there ****)**

**The lyrics are from a song I recently fell in love with. I think it describes what Katara is trying to convey to Zuko, that he's going to get hurt but he's too stubborn to listen to her. If any of the characters seem O.O.C. to you please tell me and I will get my helper monkey right on that :) have a good week everyone! :D**

**Lupelovell345: Hey! I'm Bridget's beta! She's a really good writer and I enjoy reading them. Please review for her, so I don't hear about her complaining! ****Also, the song I was singing is called "Time of My Life" from the movie "Dirty Dancing" with Patrick Swayze… R.I.P. He played Darry in my favorite movie "The Outsiders". Review and keep writing/reading! **

**My beta is in love with the outsiders. And she is almost like a co-writer in my fanfics so if you don't like her comments, don't read them. K? *death glare* BYE :D **


	4. Take A Bow

**Me: Hello, all! Sorry for the wait!**

**Zuko: Finally, I was growing old there. **

**Lupe: Yeah that was a while.**

**Me: Well I'm sorry! I had homecoming! :)**

**Lupe: OMG wasn't it FUN! :D **

**Me/Lupe: *giggling girly fun fun***

**Zuko: Oi! It's just a dance! *mutters* girls!**

**Me: *glares* It was amazing! **

**Zuko: Why? Did you get laid? **

**Lupe: Way to be a pervert, Zu-zu. **

**Me: And no, I did not 'get laid' but I was hoe for the night. *giggles* **

**Zuko: 0_o WHAT?**

**Me: Haha and I was pretty damn expensive too! **

**Zuko: Oh God! *grabs shot gun* Gotta go kill this bastard! *walks off***

**Lupe/Me: Oh no… **

**Zuko: *walks back* Wait… how expensive? ;) **

**Me: Uhg! I'm just kidding!**

**Zuko: Oh… *looks to Lupe* How 'bout-**

**Lupe: No. **

**Zuko: Damn…**

**Me: WHO'S NOT GETTING LAID NOW ZU-ZU! :D**

* * *

_And Spell, cast a spell,  
Cast a spell on the country you run._

And risk, you will risk,  
You will risk all their lives and their souls.

And burn, you will burn,  
You will burn in hell,

**Take A Bow- Muse**

* * *

Chapter 4 – Take a Bow

Katara looked at her reflection in the mirror. Dark circles ringed her bloodshot eyes. Her hair was a mess and her face looked sallow. She splashed some cold water on it to give it some color and rubbed her eyes. The bruise colored spots did not go away. She glared at her reflection and silently cursed her nightmares.

She hadn't been that terrified for a long time, since Azula had shot Zuko full of lightning and even that was a different kind of horror. Her nightmares were like prisons. She couldn't get out of them until someone let her go, she couldn't stop thinking about them, and they left her scarred.

Katara shrugged it off and tried to put on a brave face. "I just need to wake up a little." She muttered to herself as she got ready to face the day.

Katara wondered down hallway after hallway before she swallowed her pride enough to ask one of the countless servants doing their jobs. The servant was very helpful and she easily found the dining room.

She walked in and was greeted with a chorus of "Good Morning." from everyone present. Aang and Toph were trying to toss little grapes into each other's mouths from across the table. Sokka was pouting about not being able to partake in the sparring session they were about to have and Zuko had a piece of bread he was ignoring as he read over the details of a law of some kind.

"That's not polite, stop it." She gently chided Aang and Toph just as Aang caught one in his mouth.

"YES!" He screamed and Toph gave him a high five. Zuko looked up at the loud outburst, smiled briefly, and returned to his paper.

"Okay, that's enough." Katara said and pulled the bowl away from the two children.

"Fine Mom." Toph growled and reached for pastry. Katara winced and turned away as her dream returned unpleasantly to the surface of her mind.

"You should really eat something." Sokka piped up as he reached for the bowl of grapes Katara had slid next to him. Katara sat down and picked up a tart of some kind.

"What are you reading?" She asked Zuko inquisitively. He looked up then back down at his paper.

"Nothing, just Fire Lord stuff." He muttered and beckoned a servant over. "Have this taken to my study. Don't lose it."

"Yes, my lord." The servant bowed and swiftly left the room. When he left Zuko cracked his neck and stood up.

"Well, ready to get your ass kicked Aang?" Zuko asked. Aang smiled back at the challenge.

"Shouldn't I be asking that?" He countered and Toph laughed. Zuko smirked allowing the friendly rebuttal.

"Come on, we need to go out to the plaza, I've got everything set up there." He left the room holding the door open for all of them. Sokka drudged behind them.

When they arrived at the plaza their mouths all dropped open. It was amazing that the hottest place in the world could have such beauty. There was a tree in the center of a lush grassy circle enclosed with cobbles, and a crystal clear pond shaded by the tree's overhanging boughs

"Katara, Aang, when you Waterbend, please use the water in the barrels. The turtle ducks don't like to be disturbed." Zuko said as he stepped out into the light.

"What are turtle ducks?" Katara asked, she peered over at the pond and instantly cooed. "Aw, they're adorable." The yellow balls of fluff were gliding gently across the pond looking to see if the new humans had food.

"You can pet them later Katara," Sokka sludged off to one side. "I want to see some action." Katara slightly crest fallen, waited for all of them to get ready.

Aang was warming up with a few basic earth bending moves, Toph was cracking her knuckles and toes, and Zuko was breathing deep. Katara immediately streamed water out from the barrels to make it look as if she was doing something.

"Ready?" Toph called sliding into her horse stance. Katara and Zuko nodded once.

"Ready! And Katara and Zuko are too." The latter two blushed, forgetting their friend's blindness for a second, and slipped into their stances also.

Toph and Katara started circling Aang, so he couldn't see all three of them at once. Aang kept his eyes locked with Zuko, daring him to make a move. So Toph did.

The ground shifted from under and Aang jumped using his Airbending to boost his height. Zuko shot a fire blast at him and Katara summoned water and sent it arching through the air.

Aang shot down back at the ground to avoid their attacks and the fire and water collided in mid air, both elements turning to steam in the air.

Katara saw Zuko watching her carefully; his look reminded her of when they hunted the southern raider's captain. He flipped and kicked out fire; Katara raised a wave of water and sent it pressing down on Aang. Toph caught on and created a wall behind him so there was no escape.

Their attacks collided again when the steam cleared Aang wasn't there. Katara's breath caught in her throat and thought for the briefest seconds _Oh Spirits! We've killed the Avatar! _

"He's underneath us!" Toph called placing a hand on the ground. "Katara, your right!" She barked and Katara sent a torrent at water to her right, just as Aang burst from the ground. He bent the water around him right at Zuko, who created a wall of fire around him.

Aang stomped on the ground and the ground beneath Katara's feet moved suddenly her stance broken. Zuko sent a blast of fire at him again and Aang sank underground.

After repeated guerilla attacks Zuko had enough. He called the two girls over to him.

"What is it?" Katara asked keeping her eyes at the floor. Toph bent down and felt the ground again.

"Watch this," He warned and took a deep breath, then pushed out with his hands. A swirling vortex of fire, the heat blasted at them and Katara shrank back, Zuko gave her a reassuring smile.

"Either we just got in an oven or Sparky is doing something cool." Toph commented.

"This should keep our little gopher from popping up where we don't want him." Zuko muttered and shifted his hands slightly apart, forming a hole somewhere among the flames.

A spray of rocks hurtled into the sky and a wave of water was cast over the fire. Aang flew down to earth and hit the ground sending a shock of air gusting at them pushing them to the farthest reaches of the garden.

Zuko rolled and landed on his feet. He growled and looked at his comrades. Toph was getting shakily to her own feet but Katara was rubbing her head on the ground. Anger boiled within and Zuko snarled. No one would ever hurt Katara while he was around.

He drew a circle with his finger tips, static collecting as Zuko drew the lightning to him. He shot his hand out and the electricity jumped down his arm and right at Aang.

There was a slight moment of panic before the Avatar caught the lightning, forced it down into his stomach and back up again through his other arm sending it towards the sky.

They stood watching each other for a second. Then Aang fell backwards.

"Aang!" Katara yelled and ran over to him. Zuko, a feeling of horrible alarm and guilt overtaking him, was on his heels but it was Toph who got there first.

"Aang, Aang! Say something!" She begged, in a heartbroken sort of voice and shook him. Katara barley held back tears, and reached for her neck where she used to keep the vile of spirit water. Zuko's eye was wide with horror.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It was an accident. I swear, I didn't mean to." He babbled. Toph turned on him.

"YOU! HOW COULD YOU TRY AND HURT HIM LIKE THAT! IT WAS JUST PRACTICE! BUT THAT STOP YOU SHOWING OFF YOU STUPID-" She screamed, as Aang sat up and laughed.

"Sucker!" He sang and stood up completely unharmed. "You were really worried weren't you?" He smiled and Toph punched him.

"Don't ever scare me like that EVER again!" She warned but with a slight grin on her face.

After brushing the tears away, Katara mothered Aang, dusting off his back, asking if he was okay, and scolding him telling him that his joke wasn't funny. Zuko sighed in relief and clapped his ex-pupil on the back. "How was it?"

Aang's eyes widened in excitement, "It was intense… the feeling of all that power at your fingertips. It's awesome. When did you learn how to do that?"

Zuko shrugged. "A couple months back I guess. I don't usually mark this stuff down."

"Well, that was fun." Sokka piped up finally joining the group from where he was moping.

"That's amazing." Katara muttered looking at Zuko who blushed and smiled. They both completely ignored Sokka.

"Are you alright?" He asked concerned.

"Yeah, the ground was a little harder than I thought it would be." She smiled reassuringly.

"Excuse me," A voice called from the door leading into the gardens. "Fire Lord."

The group got quiet and Zuko peered towards the door. Fong was standing there holding sheets of parchment.

"Work, work, work!" Zuko muttered under his breath in a sarcastic sigh and went to meet Fong. "What is it?"

"I need you to sign these, my lord." Fong was wearing his long council robes with the top part of his black hair pined back. Zuko was still mad at him though so he roughly brushed the papers away.

"I heard you told my uncle about my little… fiasco with the assassin." Zuko began dangerously. "I thought I told you not to breathe a word of this to anyone."

"I was worried about you, my lord." Fong answered sincerely. "You didn't seem quiet yourself."

"I was fine." Zuko snapped, and heaved a sigh. "Sorry, what do you need me to sign?"

"Just the new tax you proposed. The nobles aren't happy about it; some are questioning your leadership." Fong informed him edgily.

"I don't care if they're happy about this. They don't deserve to sit in their pretty houses and drink fine tea while the rest of the country starves." Zuko growled.

"Of course," Fong said, an angry undercurrent tainted his words but Zuko didn't notice.

Fong lead the Fire Lord into a room off to the side with a brush and ink ready for him. Zuko signed his name and handed it back to Fong. "How long are your guests staying, my lord?" The councilman asked.

Zuko thought for a second and looked around the room. "Can I trust you not to speak a word of this to anyone else?"

"Of course, my lord." Fong stated honestly.

"The avatar and his friends are going to help me find my mother." Zuko breathed. Fong's eyes widened and his mouth dropped. You could almost see his brain working something out, what though remained a mystery.

"So… she's still alive?" He asked in disbelief. Zuko shifted uncomfortably, the comment dragging up the memories of last night with Katara.

"Yes, she is." Zuko tried to keep the waver of doubt from entering his voice. "Uncle is going to take over my duties as Fire Lord as long as I stay away, which I hope won't take more than two weeks."

"The people won't be too happy about it." Fong said uneasily. "They will think you are abandoning them."

"That's why I invited the Avatar if I leave with him the people will put two and two together and come out with five." Zuko reasoned. "They'll think that we left on important Avatar type stuff."

"When are you leaving?" Fong asked, natural curiosity playing its part.

"Tonight, as quietly as possible, on a trading vessel. That's why I need you to be discreet. They'll be hell to pay if the council knew." Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Of course, my lord, silent as the grave." Fong gave a bow as Zuko took his leave.

The scarred Fire Lord turned a corner to find Han standing there apparently stopped for some reason. "What are you doing here?" Zuko asked sharply.

"I was just checking to see if Fong had asked you to sign the new tax, my lord." Han responded coolly. Zuko glared down at Han for a second before nodding and stalking down the hall.

Han looked at the Fire Lord's retreating back and cocked his head, as if some plan was forming.

* * *

Dinner time came around before anyone knew, and with that, time to leave. Zuko said good bye to his uncle. Aang fed Appa one more time with Toph and gave the handlers specific instructions on how to bathe him. Sokka and Katara wrote a letter to their father telling him that they would be staying a bit longer than they originally thought. But there was one person in the palace that was also saying goodbye.

Outside the palace walls in a back street between the proud houses two men met, one with a scarlet hood covering his face and the other had a nasty feel to him. He would fit better in with a band of thieves than with the man dressed in the royal crimson cloak.

"You are lucky to be alive right now." The dangerous man said through tight lips. His face was like white stone, young but hard and weathered. His dark eyes seemed to drill holes in the noble's head.

"The Fire Lord is not someone to trifle with! It is your own fault for sending your apprentice to kill him." The noble sniffed. He was obviously used to people not questioning his orders.

"Tung was ready! He had the skill to finish the Fire Lord, don't try to say he was killed because he just wasn't good enough!" The rough man growled, for a second showing his true nature before he retreated behind a wall of indifference. "I apologize there is no need for me to lose myself like that."

"It makes no difference, Haku." The noble said. "As long as you are prepared to step forward and finish what your apprentice started."

"Of course, but it won't be as easy." Haku frowned.

"How easy could it have been the first time, your apprentice died." The noble muttered coldly still angry about the question of authority. Haku didn't even blink at the blatant insult.

"This time the Fire Lord is aware I am coming, and he has the Avatar and his friends for protection." Haku considered these facts carefully before saying, "I am to be paid another five hundred gold pieces."

"Only when the job is complete." The noble growled and Haku nodded.

"Of course, where do you want me to go?" Haku questioned.

"The Fire Lord to my knowledge is leaving for the Earth Kingdom on a trading vessel. There, he will travel to where ever his mother can be found. That is all I know."

"That is all I need." Haku grinned, bowed low and walked steadily down the alley way, ending the brief conversation between the two.

"Good luck." The noble whispered at Haku's back and whisked away into the starry night.

Haku strolled casually down to the harbor the scenery changing for the worse the farther from the palace he went. He wasn't worried about anyone seeing him, they would just think he was a veteran out for a midnight stroll. Haku stayed in the shadows of an old rickety fishing shack and watched as sailors lifted heavy boxes up onto the grand, iron boat.

Haku never did like ships. He never trusted them, iron wasn't meant to float. He brooded on the hundreds of ways people could die on one of the ships when a low murmur of chattering entered his hearing range. He could make out words long before the people entered his line of vision.

"It's really cold," A low and whiny voice complained.

"You're from the South Pole Snoozles, how is this cold?" A female's sarcastic tone ridiculed.

"I didn't think the fire nation got this cold." The whiny voice retorted and the girl got into an argument.

"Be quiet, we're supposed to be quiet." The motherly tone of a young woman scolded the two, she sounded tired as if she had been doing this for a while.

"You know, telling them to be quiet is just making more noise." A teenager's awkward in between voice uttered.

Someone sighed and the young woman snapped. "I don't see you doing anything!"

"Let's just all shut up for a minute. Does that work?" A low husky voice hissed. Haku knew it immediately as the Fire Lord.

There was silence for a few seconds before a bouncy humming vibrated through the air. "Shut up Toph!" The Fire Lord growled.

"You aren't the boss of me!" Toph shot back, and that's when they came into view. The Fire Lord had twin swords strapped to his back and he was rubbing his temples as if he had a headache. He was followed by a tiny black haired girl and a tall young man with a pony tail who were talking quiet loudly. Haku identified them as the whiny one and Toph. Following them was the Avatar and a pretty brunette young woman.

"I don't think anyone would blame me if I kill you both!" The brunette growled.

"Do it, I dare you." Toph challenged, and the Fire Lord clenched his fist. He seemed on edge, and anxious, this must have been very trying for the young man. Haku usually saw this side of his victims before he killed them. He saw all of the pain and stress of their daily life. That's how he condoned himself with the assassinations. Haku believes that he is saving them from all that distraught and hurt of life.

The brunette glowered and hissed. "Be quiet! We're nearly there!" Toph fell silent and the rest of the group soundlessly made their way to the ship where the captain came out to met them, bowed to the Fire Lord and ushered them inside.

Haku studied the ship and carefully and quietly moved from shadow to shadow across the deserted ship yard. He knew that no one would see him, or could for that matter. When Haku reached the hull of the ship, he stared up the side of the iron.

There was a slit on the side for letting water out on the deck so Haku went for that. He breathed in focusing and pushed off with a quick blast of fire, lifting him up the side of the structure. Haku managed to latch on to the side of spill way and pulled himself up on to the deck.

Haku gingerly made his way across the deck and down a hallway. He knew that the cargo would be stored down on the lower decks, leaving just enough room for the crew. The cargo would be a perfect place to hide for a few days so Haku made his way down there.

Haku quickly opened the cargo door and slipped inside. There were hundreds of boxes and crates full of fruit. He hoisted himself up on top of a crate of fresh packaged mangos and looked around what was to be his living space for the next few days. He nodded in approval and settled down to rest. Tomorrow, he would start planning on how to kill the Fire Lord.

* * *

**Cue dramatic music! Sorry it took me so long to get this out; I had homecoming, Halloween, homework, and Buffy the vampire slayer to watch I MEAN Starving kittens to feed! :)**

**Sorry about the… sexual… A/N above but I couldn't resist. My homecoming group included 12 girls and 1 guy, who we all teased about being our pimp :D I'm not really a slut! And I wouldn't say no to Zuko :) **

**I am very thankful for all my reviewers/favoriters/alerters/readers I want to give you all a very big hug and a cookie :D Now I have a task for you, can all of you people who alerted this story Review if you enjoy it! Please, I'm basically on my knees! PLEASE REVIEW! :) Wow, that sounded very desperate… **

**So the song is basically the assassin's thoughts about Zuko, not very original or deep but I freaking love muse right now! :)**

**Now, since I'm sick I need to go to bed nighty-night people of fan fiction :) Next chapter: Some Zutara (I hope), so STAY TOONED :D**

_**Lupelovell345: **__**Hi! I'm glad that all of you are enjoying Bridget's story, just as much as I am. The content in the A/N was a bit… strange and sexual, as Bridget mentioned. Sorry about that, but I can't really do anything to stop her craziness. I'm just thankful it isn't contagious. Anyways, keep writing/Reiding (hehehe, sorry inside joke)/ and most of all reviewing!**_


	5. Starlight

**Me: Hello people :) Wow I got this chapter out fast. **

**Zuko: Can I go back to my game now? **

**Lupe: What game? **

**Zuko: Black Ops**

**Lupe: What's black ops? **

**Me: Oh no….**

**Zuko: HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW WHAT BLACK OPS IS! IT'S ONLY THE BEST THING ON THE EARTH! IT'S MY LIFE!**

**Lupe: But what is it?**

**Me: Some X-box game. **

**Zuko: It's not just a game, silly children, it's a complex blend of fear and adrenaline that has violence and plot! **

**Lupe: Kind of sounds like fanfiction….**

**Me: You just go around shooting people. **

**Zuko: NO YOU DON'T! THERE IS STRATIGY AND SKILL AND-**

**Me: If you're going to act this way I'm going to break that disk in half.**

**Zuko: Please, don't I'll die! *sob***

**Lupe: I think he needs some help.**

**Me: What do they do sell crack in every game? **

**Zuko: Black ops. Must. Have. Black. Ops. **

**Me: What does Ops even stand for?**

**Zuko: OPERATIONS YOU NOOB! **

**Me/Lupe: Rehab time. **

**Zuko: NO! MUST. KILL. BAD GUYS! **

**Lupe: Sure….**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA or Black Ops. But if I did own Black Ops I would totally PWN NOOBS :D**

_I will be chasing the starlight  
Until the end of my life  
I don't know if it's worth it anymore_

Hold you in my arms  
I just wanted to hold  
You in my arms

**Starlight- Muse**

* * *

Chapter 5 – Starlight

Zuko blinked his eyes open from his meditating position as a soft pattering of footsteps on the iron outside his door echoed down the hallway. He opened his door and looked out along the passage and saw the hatch to the deck flood with the dawn sunlight and closes again. Zuko frowned and wondered who, beside the crew, would be up at daybreak.

He followed the narrow hallway out onto the deck, and saw a blue clad girl leaning against the side of the boat looking out at the sun rising above the azure ocean. Zuko went and rested his back on the railing. "I thought Waterbenders didn't wake up this early." He said casually.

"Normally we don't it's your job to 'rise with the sun'" She quoted playfully. He smiled gently, but carefully watched her. She looked tired and as if she had been crying, and her eyes were red and puffy. She was obviously making an effort to put on a good face.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly. She turned her gaze out to the ocean before replying.

"Yeah, just tired, I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep." Katara said. Zuko sighed, he knew she was lying but he didn't want to call her out on it. She looked as if she had had enough.

"I'm always here, if you need me." He offered and gave her a reassuring smile. She kept looking out at the sea and the rising sun. "I promise."

"I told you I'm just tired." She said stiffly. Her shoulders hunched protectively as if she was shielding herself from any harm that would come her way. "But thank you." What she didn't know was that Zuko was going to stick to that promise at any cost. He would always be there, no matter what.

"Do you want to do something?" He asked awkwardly after a few moments of silence. "There isn't much to do, we can eat, we can sleep, we can train, and… that's about it." Katara breathed a giggle.

"How did you survive for three years?" She asked. He gave a half smile at her question.

"Well it's called exile for a reason, though it never got boring with Uncle to look after. Sometimes I wondered who the adult was." Katara laughed.

"Try looking after Toph, Aang and Sokka for a year." She smiled at her joke. "So what do you want to do?"

"Well… I don't think anyone is up yet so do you want to just hang out here or I might have a scrap of bread or something in my room." Zuko blushed suddenly as he realized he just invited this girl back to his room.

"I'm fine here." Katara said, and Zuko was privately relieved. They both just watched the sun rise until the hatch door opened behind them. A yawning, blearily eyed Toph stretched and stomped on the iron deck followed by Sokka and Aang.

"I thought I felt you two up here." Toph said.

Katara and Zuko glanced at each other and blurted out too quickly, "We were talking."

"Huh," Toph said suspiciously and then ran on about some weird dream she had about a giant monster coming and eating the boat. Katara looked back over the ocean as Toph talked, thoughts of her own dream, the same dream she had been having for the past few nights, resurfaced

"Anyone else hungry?" Zuko burst in, "Katara, Aang, Sokka, Toph?"

"Yes!" Katara couldn't say the word fast enough. She didn't want to have to relive her nightmares. "Yes, I'm hungry."

"Do you have to ask?" Sokka said sarcastically.

"Alright then." Zuko said and lead the way down to the galley. The entire walk Katara was thanking Zuko silently for intervening when he had.

* * *

"Not much to do on a ship huh?" Sokka said casually as they all lounged around on the deck. It was the middle of the afternoon and everyone was bored. Toph was trying to tan, Sokka was sharpening his boomerang, Aang was making his marbles spin, and Katara was having a mini war with a tiny water whip against Zuko's miniscule fire blasts. It looked as if warriors the size of their fingers were having a battle.

"You can run around it a couple of times." Aang suggested from where he sat.

"But that would require me getting up." She complained.

"Don't be lazy, exercise is important." Aang smiled back. "It keeps you in shape."

"Are you calling me fat?" Toph growled, and Aang bit his lip.

"No-" Aang answered apparently too slow for Toph.

"Because I can always metal bend you into floor." She threatened.

"Don't mess up the ship." Zuko said distracted by Katara's newest attack. "I promised the captain that it we wouldn't be a bother."

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep Sparky." Toph smiled. Zuko rolled his eyes and flicked a little ball of fire at Katara's hand which she deflected easily.

"If you don't mess up the ship then I haven't broken any promises have I?" He answered and hissed as Katara's water slapped his hand. She laughed and bended her whip into the sea.

"I win." She declared. Zuko stared disbelieving at her.

"No, Toph distracted me! That's interference or something." He complained but Katara would hear none of it. They bickered like this for about another minute or so until…

"You both win, okay?" Sokka growled, stopping the two from getting into an actual sparring match. "Jeeze you act like five year olds sometimes!" At that everyone burst out laughing at the irony and Sokka, realizing what he said, stammered a bit and turned away from them all.

"Suki not want to come along?" Aang asked conversationally after the laughter had died down. Aang had not seen her at all the past year and missed her terribly.

"She doesn't want to… come back to the Fire Nation any time soon." Sokka chose his words carefully watching the Fire Lord for any sign of offence, but Zuko laid back on the deck, and closed his eyes in contentment.

"I don't blame her, when I had to make a speech in Ba Sing Se, Uncle nearly had to drag me out of the carriage." He said conversationally. "You still going out with her then?"

"Year and a half." He announced proudly. "I'm thinking of proposing sometime soon."

"REALLY?" Katara shrieked and gave Sokka a hug. "Oh, she'll be wonderful to have in the family!"

Toph hit him on the shoulder and said "Nice job Snoozles." Sokka rubbed the soon-to-be bruise and smiled.

"About time you stop dragging your feet." Aang said with a grin, and continued in a more serious tone, "Good for you."

"Way to be. You guys would be really good together." Zuko congratulated.

Sokka looked sheepish and muttered. "I haven't even asked her yet, I haven't even started making her necklace. I don't even know if she'll say yes…"

They all chorused "Of course she'll say yes!" At Sokka to which he meekly accepted and blushed spectacularly at the support.

"Thanks," He said, and the rest of the day Katara chattered continuously about how he should propose, what the colors should be, who the bridesmaids and groomsmen should be, and where it should be held.

"I really think that if you propose to her in Kyoshi you should get married at Kyoshi. Though do they have a place _to _get married? And since it doesn't have all a great port it would be hard to get out and go on the honeymoon, you could always take Appa but then that would be just awkward I mean, that saddle was practically our home and if you go and-"

"Katara! Please! You're not the one getting married here!" Sokka cut across, slightly desperate at the sudden turn the chattering had lead his little sister.

"Couldn't you have stopped her _before _I got that picture in my head?" Zuko grumbled. He really hadn't been paying that much attention to her words, more her voice, it had almost lulled him to sleep. He had only perked up when the word 'honeymoon' was mentioned.

"Wait! You were going somewhere with that!" Aang asked shocked. "Go and do what in the saddle? Am I missing something?" He asked his wide eyes reflected his golden innocence.

They all stared at him for a second before bursting out laughing. Aang looked around at his friends with a confused look. "What?"

"I'll explain …" Toph giggled. "When you're older." Aang still looked baffled.

"I'm the same age as you!" He argued.

"Well you're a monk! You aren't supposed to know about this sort of stuff!" Toph reasoned. Aang pouted.

"Look, if you still don't know by the time Sokka's wedding rolls around then I'll tell you then got it?" Zuko promised.

"Okay!" Aang brightened up and smiled, "But I will figure it out." They all started laughing again. By that time the sun was going down and they all headed in for dinner, and two hours later they went to sleep.

Katara went back to her room and took her time getting undressed. She went around her cabin organizing the things she had taken in her tiny bag, a spare change of clothes, hair bands, andone case of white makeup (Zuko had asked for this and she had had no idea why).

After that was done she bended water over herself to clean the dirt that may have gotten on her over the day, what she was doing was procrastinating going to sleep. She was tired and cold and the bed sheets looked so inviting as a well laid trap always does. She knew that when she would sleep she would have the dream.

Every night that passed since the first had grown worse. Her dreams became more elaborate and fantastical. Katara was scared she might get lost in one never to be able to escape the horrors. It was a silly thing that a fifteen year old girl still had nightmares, she thought to herself, it was nothing she couldn't handle.

Katara finally couldn't stand it anymore and crawled into the bed gingerly. She laid her head down on the soft pillow and closed her eyes, chanting to herself "I will be strong, I will be strong, I will be strong, I will be strong…" But of course that never works.

_Katara was young again as she walked into the igloo her mother was on the ground her arm raised to protect herself from the man standing there as if he was all powerful, which in the dream, he was. The man's back was to her and in a different armor than was the norm._

_"Go one sweetie." Her mother urged "I can handle this." The man still didn't turn around, he didn't speak, he just stood there. _

_"Mommy I'm scared." She whimpered. Her mother gave her a sad look and a small wave of goodbye before she disintegrated into ash. Katara let out a heartbroken cry and ran forward. The man suddenly turned around, but it wasn't the captain this time. It was Zuko. He was in his armor he wore the first time he invaded their village, the red made his scar stand out even more against his white skin. _

_"You little bitch!" He yelled at he, grabbed her arm and swung her towards the wall of the igloo, his had burned against her skin. Zuko threw her against the wall and watched her hunch into a ball. "You took her away from me! You sent her away!" Only then did she realize his eyes were black and not the warm golden that they normally were. _

_"I didn't mean too!" She begged. "She just died, I didn't mean to! Please let me go to her!" Katara stared at the pile of ashes as the room started to get hotter and hotter. _

_"Don't act like you didn't want this! Like you knew it wouldn't be this way!" He shouted at her, the temperature in the igloo was really heating up the walls began to melt. Little drops of water fell on her cheeks and mixed with the tears. _

_"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She begged and Zuko stalked up to her, anger peeling off of him in waves. His hands burst into fire as he grabbed her throat and pinned her against the wall. The heat of his hands blazed against her skin, "Please, Zuko you're hurting me!" _

_The igloo walls melted and suddenly Zuko dropped her and vanished. Katara coughed and looked around, she was in the destroyed Fire Nation square where Azula and Zuko had fought for the last time, only there were thousands of people watching, including everyone she knew, Sokka, Aang, Toph, her father, her grandmother, everyone she cared about were in the stands cheering someone on. Katara looked up to see Azula, her hair falling out in mad angles, her eyes wild and insane. She smiled unnervingly and pushed Katara down to the ground. She landed on her knees and looked up. "Please" She whimpered and Azula shook her head. _

_Azula reached back and shot fire down at her. The left side of her face burned horribly. She screamed and clutched her eye. The crowd cheered. This had never happened before in the dream. _

_Then the cheering stopped. Katara was still sobbing but the pain had lessened considerably, though she couldn't feel the left side of her face. She got up. The room she was in now was white with no decorations, no doors, and no lights, just white. Something crimson dripped onto the floor staining the colorless ground. Katara raised her hand to catch the next drip but someone's was already there. Zuko lifted his hand to her neck and gently kissed the left side of her face. _

_When he pulled away his lips were red. "You are just like me now, Mother" He whispered and turned her towards the mirror that suddenly appeared. Katara wasn't herself, she was looking at her mom, only with black hair and golden eyes. The left side of her face was revenge. Her eye was surrounded by a pool of blood that dripped down her face onto her shirt. _

_Katara screamed, and as she did the white room shattered, the pallid pieces fell around her leaving blackness. Katara looked around and saw her mother in front of her. She ran up and tried to talk to her but her mother held up a hand. _

_"Don't touch me!" She hissed. Her blue eyes drilled into Katara's filling her with fear and despair._

_"Mom, let me help you." Katara begged but her mother spat at Katara's feet. Her eyes filled with tears. Her mother didn't seem to notice her daughter's pain._

_"You don't deserve to touch me." She hissed. "You let me die." _

_At her mother's word Katara fell horror filling her…_

Katara started to thrash and kick and immediately felt like she needed to get out, even though the horrors were in her head. _You let me die. _Her mother growled in her mind. Katara felt the tears run down her cheeks but she couldn't focus on anything else except her own imprisonment. She had to get out.

Katara struggled against her blankets and then stumbled across the iron floor. She tried to pull the door away from the wall by the crack after her third broken nail she saw the hatch and threw it open so hard a loud clang reverberated through the room. Katara whipped her eyes where the tears cascaded. She ran up the stairs and threw open the trap door. She had to get to the open air, she could hardly breath.

Katara stumbled over to the railing, and breathed deep. It didn't help.

When she tried to breathe out but chocked on her sob. Tears flowed freely and Katara gripped the railing to keep upright. _You let me die_. Her mother whispered. Katara whimpered in pain.

"Katara?" Someone asked. She didn't recognize the voice for a second and turned around slightly. Zuko stood behind her sympathetic and horrified. He laid a pale hand on her shoulder but she pulled away.

"I'm alright." She said pathetically in a horrible attempt to lie. Zuko didn't say anything but wrapped an arm around her back and drew her into him comfortingly. Katara fought him for a second before breaking down and sobbing into his chest.

Zuko tucked her head under his chin and just held her. He had dreamed about this moment for months and now but he would trade anything for it not to be so. Katara was in obvious pain, and in turn, that hurt him. If Zuko didn't have to reassure her, hold her, then she wouldn't be hurting. He wondered what she was crying about. Was it what made her upset earlier today? He guessed it was.

If this was anyone else, Zuko would have started to get bored, but all he wanted to do was help Katara in any way possible. And if that meant letting her cry into his shirt then he could do that forever.

When Katara's sobbing had stopped and her trembling had settled into a shiver Zuko pulled away a bit, just enough to see her face but keep her in his arms. He wasn't going to let go until he was sure she was okay.

"What's wrong?" He asked and winced at the stupid question. Katara flinched and looked uncomfortable. Zuko let her rest her head on his shoulder and waited for Katara to tell him on her own time.

"You're going to think I'm pathetic." She whispered finally. She uttered the words so softly that Zuko nearly missed them.

"How could I do that? You're too strong to be pathetic." He said easily, he normally was terrible with words but talking, consoling, Katara was natural.

"Even so." She murmured. Zuko didn't respond to that and Katara deliberated on whether or not to tell him the truth. "I… had a nightmare…"

"Do you want to tell me about it?" He asked softly. Katara closed her eyes and behind her lids the visions of her mother turning to ash made fresh tears of horror burn down her cheeks.

"I can't." Katara said. Zuko didn't press the matter. He just watched helplessly as fresh tears flowed down her cheeks. Without realizing what he was doing he bent his head and brushed his lips over the tears whipping them away.

Katara stood frozen by shock at what happened. Shock and longing. She didn't want Zuko to ever stop kissing her. She didn't want to leave his arms. The moment would be perfect if the reason for his gesture hadn't been to soothe her fear.

Zuko stopped and drew back uncertainty spreading over his face. "I'm sorry," He said and tried to move away.

"No," She breathed in panic, she didn't want him to go, she didn't know what she would do if he left now.

Zuko hesitated for a second as they both stared at each other and then, he kissed her.

* * *

***sigh* freaking finally :) You have no idea how long I've wanted to write that. :Dhow long will their happiness last? I'm taking bets XD one closes to the mark wins…. Oh idk… uh… well if you win tell me what you want!**

**It's finally thanksgiving break! So I've got a week to spend gorging myself, sleeping in, lounging around in sweatpants, and to hang out with my cousins! IM EXCITED! :) (P.S. its actually after break but im too lazy to erase that XP)**

**Once again I thank all of my Alerters and my favoriters and my reviewer. :) I want to give you all a cookie but sadly I don't know anything about you people… :) I'm asking again, CAN ALL OF YOU WHO ENJOY THIS STORY REVIEW? Even if it's to give constructive criticism please review! **

**The one is another muse song that I L.O.V.E. it's one of the more normal ones and describes the end perfectly! :) (If you haven't figured it out yet… I love muse XD)**

**So… Katara's nightmare was weird as heck wasn't it? But so much of it is foreshadowing and allusions that I couldn't resist not putting half the stuff in there! So I'm sorry if it seems like some druggie wrote it but all will be made clear in time :) (That sounded very weird) **

**For all of you who play Black Ops I'm sorry for the above A/N but that is practically half the guys at my school, and I thought, why not? Hope you all can relate :D And on a completely different note, HOW AWESOME WAS HARRY POTTER? :D I loved it! So farewell and happy late thanksgiving :) unless you are from some other part of the word then I wouldn't know what you celebrated… XD**

**So… next chapter… I have a feeling for some -what's the word- complications *smiles evilly* I like to make my characters work hard :D**


	6. Dangerous

**Zuko: I FEEL GREAT! :D**

**Me: Ugh. Zuko what are you doing up at 1:30? **

**Lupe: SHUT UP! IM TRYING TO SLEEP!**

**Me: *whispers* Sorry**

**Zuko: *also whispers* Sorry, but there's an eclipse out right now!**

**Me: So? **

**Zuko: Well, I'm gonna have a go at Katara aren't I?**

**Me: Why do you sound British all of the sudden?**

**Zuko: Must be all the Merlin you watched today.**

**Me: Oh, right go on.**

**Zuko: Okay, so is there anyone else you want me to have a go at?**

**Me: *ponders* Well… there is this annoying kid in my classes and hmm… how about the pervert and the crack heads also? Oh! And this bitch who-**

**Zuko: Uh… I meant Waterbenders…**

**Me: Oh… no… but if you don't mind lending me your fire bending skillz, I can go kill them myself. **

**Zuko: Okay. **

**Me: Cool that actually worked! **

**Zuko: Of course it worked! I'm awesome!**

**Me: *punches and fire comes out* THIS IS SO FREAKIN COOL!**

**Lupe: SHADDUP!**

**Me/Zuko: Sorry.**

**Zuko: Okay give me skills back.**

**Me: Maybe I don't want to?**

**Zuko: *magically takes back powers***

**Me: Awww…**

**Zuko: It's okay. Fist bump?**

**Me: *bumps fist, Zuko sets Bridget on fire***

**Zuko: HAHA FAIL! **

**Me: . . . Just gonna stand there and watch me burn? *punches Zuko* That's all right I love the way you hurt.**

* * *

_You're a pretty little girl got a thing for me  
But you'd cut me open and let me bleed_

But I'll been looking at you with your long brown hair  
Pretty little feet, sparkling everywhere  
You look so good when you come my way  
But I have to look down when you talk to me

'Cause your dangerous,  
Your Dangerous

**Dangerous – Ghost of the Robot**

* * *

Dangerous- Chapter 6

Katara had imagined what it would feel like to have Zuko's lips on hers but they had all been wild fantasies until now. She could feel the heat radiate off of him from his chest, from his hand that cupped her check. It was bliss, just standing there kissing him. It was perfect. If she could Katara would live in this memory forever.

There was a loud clanging noise and Zuko pulled away slightly, just enough to turn and say sarcastically, "We're a little busy here." He kept his eyes focused on her and leaned in to continue the kiss.

"You touch my sister one more time and I swear-" Sokka started but didn't finish. Zuko and Katara realizing who it was that interrupted them jumped apart in shock. Sokka started issuing threats which were so insulting that Katara could hardly believe this was the same person who had acted friendly to Zuko just hours ago.

"Sokka just shut up for a minute!"Katara shouted over her brother. She wouldn't let anyone just interrupt her small moment of utter happiness with Zuko after the terror and stress of her nightmare. But Sokka ignored her, picking up his boomerang (which he had dropped when he discovered them) and advanced on Zuko.

"How long has this been going on? How long have you been making out with my sister?" ("We weren't 'making out'" Katara hissed.) "You probably had it going ever since you broke it off with Mai huh? ("No we haven't!" Katara growled.) "You couldn't live without a woman in your life for a week could you? And you just had to go and tongue the first live girl with half a brain? ("Sokka! He never did anything like that to me!" Katara shouted.) Just got that feeling right and when you couldn't get it with Mai you need to try it out with someone who had a soul!" Sokka ranted ignoring Katara's interruptions completely.

"SHUT UP!" Katara screamed as she stepped between Sokka and Zuko, who stood shamefaced through the whole tirade, her older brother for the first time was forced to acknowledge her. "He's never made a move or anything before tonight! What you saw was the first time Zuko has kissed me or anything! So why don't you just listen to someone else for a change before assuming you know everything!"

Zuko looked down at Katara's outburst of rage, half stunned half happy out of his mind. The latter because she was defending them, not just her, them. She had never said that it was a 'one time' deal; she said it was a 'first time' kind of thing. Which meant that she had wanted more… right? The prior because he was so surprised that she could have so much pent up aggression.

Obviously Sokka thought so too because he blinked down at his little sister, then back up at Zuko, (he tried to look confident in Katara's defense), to back to Katara. "Huh?" Sokka asked in a hushed voice then Katara dragged him away and they started bickering in private. Zuko was too startled to do anything. He was so surprised at himself for being bold enough to just kiss her like that. It wasn't his style. He looked back to the siblings and saw Sokka pointing down at Katara as if scolding. This made his blood boil. He would not sit around and have Katara pushed away from him by her brother!

"Stop it!" Zuko glared at Sokka, he was thankful that he was at least taller than him now, or Zuko wouldn't look half as intimidating.

"Stay out of this, it's between us!" Sokka growled and Katara rounded on him.

"No it's not!" She spat and Zuko followed up with.

"It concerns me because I like Katara." He stated and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Oh you like her." He muttered. Zuko stared daggers down at Sokka.

"A lot!" He growled. Then suddenly realizing he had just spilled out his feelings for Katara stammered and crossed his arms awkwardly.

"Really?" Katara asked glancing up at him a small grin flashing over her face.

Zuko didn't hesitate. "Yes." Sokka leered at him.

"You watch it boy." He threatened,

"Sokka, you can't control who I like!" Katara snapped. "Or who I want to be with or anything!" Zuko bit his cheek from smiling. She had just said she liked him back.

Sokka tried to think of another way convince his sister that this was a bad idea but none sprang to mind. He needed something to say to instate his adult-ship over their relationship.

"You make one mistake, one false step, if you hurt her in anyway, if you try to do _anything_ I will kick your ass." He growled and angrily stomped off.

Katara and Zuko glanced down at each other after the sound of Sokka's foots on the iron were gone. "So…" Zuko started.

"You said you liked me…" Katara replied. She was waiting for him to say that this was just the heat of the moment, or he was just kissing her and defending her in order to not hurt her anymore or something equally as heartbreaking, but all he said was.

"Yes I do..." Zuko said then stumbled over his words and garbled. "I mean yes I do like you."

"Good, because I like you too." Katara gave him a little smile he returned it. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"It feels good to have that off my chest," Zuko said. "It has been there since you came to visit me."

Katara gave him a skeptical look. "Same here." She laughed at the coincidence. "I guess we're both idiots." Zuko chuckled, and looked at the sky.

"We're going to land in the morning you should get some rest." e He muttered. One glance at her strained look was enough to tell him that she was scared of going to sleep. "Or we could stay up a bit." He added as casually as he could.

Katara took a deep breath. "I'll be all right." Zuko thought about taking her hand, maybe even hugging her again, and just maybe one more kiss, but he speculated this might be rushing things, so he just said.

"I'm always here, just come if you need me." Katara smiled up at him.

"Thank you." Katara whispered. She was scared of her nightmares but she had finally found out Zuko liked her back and that thought made her happier than scared.

They walked back down the hallway, Zuko saying very softly "Good night." to her before disappearing into his own room. Katara slid into her own bed and sank into it, smiling to herself. She felt like she could fly, as if her fears did not bother her anymore. Zuko had kissed her. Everything was perfect and she slept soundly.

* * *

Aang and Toph walked down to the galley, both their spirits were raised in the fact that this would be their final hours on the ship. Toph didn't like ships, she didn't like the sickening waving motion nor the fact there was no solid rock beneth her feet. These were all excuses for the terrible sea sickness she gets.

Aang was sick of being stuck in one place too long, he had never stayed stagnate for so long before moving, a habit that had increased when he began his search for more Airbenders. Aang had never stayed in a place more than a night and a day.

When they got to the galley they found Sokka sitting their dismally picking at a biscuit. Aang frowned down at him, "What's wrong?" Sokka looked up then returned to decimating his biscuit.

"Nothing." He growled and Aang was about to question him further but Toph shook her head. She knew if Sokka wanted to tell them he would tell them.

"I wonder where Sparky and Sweetness are." Toph stated, and Sokka muttered something angrily under his breath. Toph had a brief light of realization flare up in her dull eyes. Aang just continued to eat, oblivious to the world around him.

"And I was beginning to think he was gay." Toph murmured to herself before chuckling a bit then tucked into her food.

* * *

Katara woke up from a loud knocking on her door. She blinked and looked around at the sunlight streaming through the open porthole, and smiled. The knocking continued.

"Yes?" She called. Unconsciously there was a small smile on her face, as Zuko's husky voice muted, seeped through the door.

"I need your help with something. Did I wake you?"

"Yeah, just wait a second." Katara looked around desperately for something decent to put on instead of the loose dress she wore now. She picked up a pair of stray leggings and slipped them on. She shrugged tied her dress back and checked her hair in the small mirror. She went to the door and opened it smiling. Zuko grinned back.

"Good morning." He said and held out a plate of food. "I thought you might be hungry." Katara beckoned him in and he set the plate down on the bed (there was no table) and turned to her. "I need your help."

Katara breathed a laugh. "You mentioned that already, what with?" Zuko ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"Well, we're going to land at port in a little bit and it wouldn't do well to have the Fire Lord being seen on a secret mission and my face is really recognizable, and people know my scar, and I'm easily picked out in a crowd, do you get what I'm saying?" He asked shyly. Her confused expression told the answer. "What I'm saying is that I could you paint makeup over my scar so it's not recognizable."

Katara laughed. "Why couldn't you just say that?" Zuko shuffled uncomfortably.

"It's… not… respectable." He decided.

"Respectable?" She laughed again, and Zuko felt a smile flood his face. He loved making her laugh.

"Will you?" He asked again. "It's this or a stupid headband."

"I'll do anything for you." She said before she was consciously aware of them. Zuko didn't seem flustered but pleased.

"It's mutual, but I don't think I'll ever have to put make up on you, your beautiful enough already." The compliments came easy and fluidly, it was effortless being with Katara.

"Stop it." She mock scolded behind a blush. "Let me get my stuff." Zuko waited patiently as Katara got her jar of white paint and brush. She dipped the brush in and said "Close your eyes."

Katara cupped his cheek and painted his scar white. "It's a good thing you're so pale." Katara commented.

"Does it look okay?" He asked as she finished with the inside of his eye socket.

"It looks… weird." She stated, and the thought made his lips twitch. "Not in a bad way, just different."

"Well I don't plan on keeping it," Zuko said evenly. Katara readjusted her hold on his cheek.

"Just keep still or I might poke you in the eye with this thing." She warned and continued painting. Zuko smiled but kept obediently still.

* * *

Sokka was in a bad mood already. He had seen neither hide nor hair of his little sister or the Cretin, which probably meant they were together somewhere. He had said last night that he would give them a chance… in a sense.

He was decent enough not to tell Toph and Aang about the two of them. Sokka knew that if he broke the horrible news to them Katara would be pissed. _More pissed than she already is. _He corrected.

Sokka decided to go see if Katara was still sleeping or not. He walked down the hallway to her room, and pressed an ear to the door to check if she was snoring. She wasn't. But there was the distinct sound of giggling.

Sokka opened the door quickly to find the Cretin and Katara kissing, just gently but enough to make Sokka go crazy.

They were kissing. In her bedroom. With the door closed. Aang might be naïve but Sokka surely wasn't. He cleared his throat loudly.

The two jumped apart quickly and then looked guilty. Zuko looked away so that Sokka couldn't see his scar, and his sister glared at him, was if it was Sokka's fault that he was protecting his sister's honor.

"You can't just let us have one moment of peace can you?" The Bastard muttered.

"YOU WERE THE ONE MAKING OUT WITH MY SISTER!" He shouted. Katara glared at her brother. "Get out."

"Maybe I don't want to!" Zuko said defiantly. He was already mad and was not going to be ordered around.

"Zuko, maybe it would be better if you let me talk to my dear brother alone." Katara said gently and sweetly. Sokka looked at his sister shocked and then adopted a half smug grin. Zuko made a face at him, then turned to Katara.

"If you think it's best." He said and in a sudden moment of inspiration and a need to wipe the stupid smile off Sokka's face. Zuko bent down and kissed Katara one more time. Then he quickly strode out of the room as to get the last word. His girl would handle it.

Sokka was thrown for a second of Zuko's scar mysteriously disappearing until he kissed Katara again. Then all Sokka wanted to do was throw him out a window. Katara for her part blushed violently and smiled. She had completely forgotten about Sokka in the moment of pure bliss.

"What the hell was he doing in your room?" Sokka demanded and Katara blinked and then remembered her fury at her brother.

"Is that your business?" Katara shot back.

"Yes! You're my little sister." Sokka replied in earnest. Katara crossed her arms.

"Oh, so it's that you don't trust me!" She hissed.

"No, I just want you to be happy!" He stumbled back.

"I _am _happy with Zuko. Why can't you see that?"

"I know he'll hurt you." Sokka tried to be sympathetic but forceful and the combination did not turn out good.

Katara curled her lip in distaste as her brother adopted a know-it-all type of voice. "How can you know that?" She spat.

"Because I'm a guy too." Sokka reasoned. "Do you know what he's doing? He's acting all gentlemen-like I bet when you went to visit him he escorted you to all the parties, all the dinners, all the balls?"

"They didn't have balls or parties." Katara muttered but Sokka's words started to gorge out a small indent of doubt and fear in her brain.

"He lead you around introduced you to all the nobles let you play dress up in all the pretty silks and satins then he would complain later about how he never felt close to anyone and that he was glad you were there? And he would smile and you would smile and he would, before anything got out of hand, walk you to your room. Bet he even kissed your hand for good measure." Sokka continued as if he was there with Katara visited him.

"Stop it." She said, she wanted to believe Zuko but Sokka's accusations were made with more than just a grain of truth.

"Then when you left and he wrote you, he made sure to say 'I miss you.' Every single time, didn't he? And last night, I bet he was there to comfort you through some bad memory or scary noise." Sokka lead on.

"A nightmare." Katara whispered in a trance.

"He was your shoulder to cry one I bet, and then it just sort of happened." Katara bowed her head and balled her fist. She wasn't going to cry she was going to be the one on top.

Sokka seeing the look of defiance in his sister hammered in the last nail on the coffin. "Your just a prize to him, he turned on the charm oh, when you dumped Aang?" This was not strictly true but in her weak state it seemed it was.

Katara grit her teeth. Zuko was probably laughing at her right now. She was no one's play thing.

"You're right." She said and Sokka nodded. He knew his sister was fine now. Katara wouldn't be tricked by anyone like Zuko anymore. He had done his brotherly duties well.

"I just don't want to see you hurt." He added again.

"I know, let's go." She said and strode out of the room. Sokka smiled at her proud at her strength.

* * *

Zuko for his part was completely unaware of this sudden change. He was happily packing up his small bag and checking to see if his swords were in good shape thinking that Katara had handled that annoying pest of a brother.

He slung his bag on his shoulder and walked down where he was supposed to meet the others. Toph and Aang were already there.

Aang jumped about five feet off the ground (literally) when he saw Zuko. "Where's your… your um…" He started pawing at the left side of his face.

"Under a bunch of white make-up, people know the face of the Fire Lord and we don't want to attract attention. You should probably wear your hat as well" Zuko suggested and Aang, still shaken put on his silly hat.

"What's wrong with Sparky?" Toph asked, confused. Zuko smiled.

"Nothing, I just covered my scar that's all." He was a perfect mood and when he saw Sokka and Katara walking up from the hatch it got even better.

Zuko grinned and started to move by her side but a venous glare stopped his movements.

"Hey." He said and Katara sent him another icy look. In a moment his good mood was shattered. He realized what happened.

Sokka must have tricked her into making her think that had corrupted her in some way.

Zuko stood stunned at this epiphany. He felt betrayed, hurt, anger, and a burning desire to hit a wall. He want to just turn around and act all superior but there was a stronger longing to talk to her and convince her that he was not the enemy. Stuck between his false wish and his true wanting Zuko just stood there.

"Can I talk to you?" Katara said coldly as he dawdled in indecision. In a daze he slowly nodded and she led him out of earshot.

"I just wanted to tell you up front that you're an asshole." She spat. This drug Zuko out of his trance and burned all his compassion with it.

"How? All I've ever done is care about you and then you let your idiot brother come in and take over your brain!" He near shouted.

"He wasn't the one who tried to trick me into liking you!" She returned and Zuko blinked in surprise at the words.

"I never tricked you into doing anything!" He retorted and Katara rolled her eyes.

"You can't even be honest about it huh? Even when we're on the same side you still manage to find a way to betray me!" Zuko tried to interrupt but Katara was on a roll. "Well listen here, you may be all high and mighty, ruler of a great nation and all that but I am not some prize to be won! I am not your little play thing to be thrown in the gutter once I'm used, and if you try I'll kick your ass. Got it?"

"I never tried to win you or anything!" Zuko growled, but Katara ignored him.

"Just leave me alone." She muttered and walked off towards the group again, who seemed to not notice the fight that the two just had.

Zuko glared at the back of Sokka's head. "Stupid son of a-" He started to snarl when a voice said.

"It's been an honor having you on our ship, my lord." The captain said bowing his head. Zuko nodded.

"It's been an honor being here, Captain." He respectfully said back swallowing his rage. Zuko slowly turned and padded his way down the gangplank throwing one last look at Katara, who ignored his gaze. Then they descended into the confusion and babble of the port town.

* * *

**Hello and may I say THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REIDING/REVIEWING/FAVORTING/ALERTING! You guys really mean a lot to me! :D I don't really like this chapter… but its late and anything else I try and write/edit will be crap.**

**Yes. It is 1:30 a.m. I'm writing this on the 21****st**** when (if you didn't know) there was an eclipse! My friend and I were up chatting on face book (while she was trying to finish season 3 of avatar, which she did! :) and we kept saying that it was like the first season all over again! Haha… yeah… were weird.**

**The song is from a band called "Ghost of the Robots" Not muse. XP IM BRANCHING OUT! If you have ever heard this song before hats off to you! I found it because I was looking up stuff with James Marsters and the band popped up! I listened to it and they're not my usual style but I like them! **

**I stole a bit of dialogue from "Alice" a TV show/movie half breed that is AWESOME! I stole the "I like him" "Oh you like him" "A LOT!" I was very tempted to add "I know a bit about liking people and after much chocolate and cream cake like turns into what was his name again!" :) **

**Now, I've got to go to sleep or I'll pass out. Nighty Night everyone! Merry Christmas and Happy New Years! ;)**


	7. Cry Me A River

**Me: Blech.**

**Zuko: What?**

**Me: I saw the last airbender movie today… **

**Zuko: EW! WHY DID YOU WATCH THAT!**

**Me: I wanted to show my friend how bad it was.**

**Lupe: Hey was that the one we went to go see?**

**Me: Yes… **

**Lupe: It wasn't actually bad.**

**Zuko/Me: *stares like Lupe had just gone crazy, which she had***

**Me: How can you say that?**

**Zuko: YEAH! I was played by DEV PATEL! **

**Lupe: He actually did a good job I thought.**

**Me: IT WAS NOTHING LIKE THE TV SHOW!**

**Lupe: Does that matter? The Count of Monte Cristo was nothing like the book yet you still like both!**

**Me: That's because they both have good plot, and decent acting, and decent writers!**

**Zuko: I WAS PLAYED BY AN INDIAN! WHO WAS NOT HOT, unlike me! **

**Lupe: So? Yeah the acting could have been better and the special effects were crap but over all-**

**Zuko: He had a stupid scar! And I do not have stupid hair like that! **

**Me: Over all it sucked. They didn't even pronounce the names right! **

**Lupe: It's how they are originally pronounced in Chinese. **

**Me: IT. IS. AN. AMERICAN. SHOW!**

**Lupe: But it's based off of Chinese people though. **

**Zuko: And he was a total dumbass! I mean seriously! **

**Me: They got the fire bending wrong! **

**Lupe: It looked cool though.**

**Zuko: I mean I was not badass at all! I am a total badass and I'm WHITE! Not white as in American as in PALE! LEGIT WHITE!**

**Me/Lupe: What are you talking about?**

**Zuko: Race. You?**

**Me: Firebending. **

**Lupe: So all in all the movie was okay.**

**Me/Zuko: NO IT WASN'T! **

* * *

_You drove me,  
Nearly drove me out of my head  
While you never shed a tear.  
Remember?  
I remember all that you said  
Told me love was too plebeian,  
Told me you were through with me _

**Cry Me A River – Michael Bub****l_é_**

**_

* * *

_**

Chapter 7 - Cry Me a River

Haku glanced around the port town, with its general chaos and confusion. For a second he feared that the Fire Lord has left already and he had lost his chance, but then his professionalism kicked in. Soon, he spotted the raven haired Fire Lord. He was walking with a scowl on his face and a general air of being mad.

Being down in the cargo hold for the length of the ship's ride Haku knew nothing about what had transpired between Zuko and Katara. He only knew what passing workers on the boat said, which meant that a woman was cheating on her husband with his son, a famous singer's grandfather died, and that Su-Shay left Qin for a midget. This was all interesting in its own way but none relevant to killing the Fire Lord.

Haku started following the group at a distance before the Fire Lord went off by himself, leaving the Avatar and Toph confused, and the two water tribe siblings glaring at his retreating back. Without hesitation Haku followed the Fire Lord down the market street where he started looking for a map shop. This gave Haku an idea.

While the Fire Lord was getting directions from a street vendor, Haku entered the map shop with a friendly jingle of bells. "Hello, how can I-" The owner said cheerily, at least he tried to. He was cut off by Haku throwing a paper weight that happened to by lying on a map spread on top of the front table and hitting him square in the head. The poor shop keeper fell to the ground unconscious, and Haku hurried over to him and slipped on the stupid hat he wore then dragged his body to the back. For a brief second he deliberated whether to kill the man or not. If he killed him that would be cause for investigation, but if he didn't than the shop keeper would wake up and report him to the police. "Decisions, decisions." Haku mused.

Lucky for the shop keeper, at that moment the jingle of bells went off and Haku called cheerily. "Just a moment if you please!" He decided to leave the store owner and went to the front just as the Fire Lord called back.

"Whatever." The Fire Lord was in a bad mood. But, Haku faithfully kept a smile fixed in place

"What can I help you with, sir?" The Fire Lord had on an excellent disguise. He had on a rough worn grey/green shirt with patched black pants, his double swords were of course strapped to his back but they weren't stunning gold like Haku had expected. They were plain iron. The biggest change though was the white make-up over his scar, someone had even bothered to take charcoal and thicken the nonexistent eyebrow. It looked natural and only as if he was squinting his left eye.

"Do you have a map of the Earth Kingdom?" He asked dourly. Haku fixed him another easy smile.

"Well sir this is a map shop." The response was something that people expected from merchants.

"Do you have one of the mountains?" He snapped. Haku nodded his head but let the smile falter as if he was displeased. The Fire Lord grew shame faced.

"Let's see what we can find." Haku replied a little coldly, and then disappeared into the back. He looked around the shelves and thanked God that the shop keeper insisted on labeling everything. Haku pulled out a scroll and went to give it to the Fire Lord.

"Here you go sir." He breezed.

"I didn't mean to snap like that." He muttered and reached into a pouch for coins.

"No offence taken sir, you look like if you just lost a friend." Haku said, this would be a wonderful opportunity to find worms of strife in the travelers group.

"It was a girl." The Fire Lord admitted and glanced down cast. "You try to act nice and they hate you, you don't act nice and they hate you even more!"

"Women." Haku cursed. This was a surprising turn. The Fire Lord was in love, but apparently the girl wasn't in love with him. Interesting.

"Women." The Fire Lord agreed. Then handed Haku the money and walked out, sullen and angry.

The assassin watched him go, and smiled to himself. The Fire Lord did have a weakness after all. "This will be easier than I thought." Haku began to whistle as he took the pouch of coins from the shop keeper, and replaced his hat. Then walked out the door in purist of his prey.

* * *

Zuko totally unaware of his close brush with danger went on his way, cursing everything from the annoying buzz of conversation to the glare of the sun. He wished for someone to try and pick pocket him so he would have an excuse to punch somebody. He did everything that he possibly could to make Katara happy. He was a gentleman, he was polite and he thought she truly liked him back. _Apparently not as much as you thought _Zuko reflection morosely. There was that overwhelming urge to hit something again.

He continued buying food, supplies, and anything he deemed necessary for their trip, all the while fuming, mourning and pitying himself in equal parts. He also tried hard not to think about Katara. He couldn't think about the way her hair cascades down her shoulders, the way her soft skin feels against his, the way her blue eyes sparkled like an ocean every time she laughed or smiled. "Stop it!" He ordered himself, but the traitorous thoughts made his heart ache.

He shouldered his pack, now full with supplies and trudged to the outskirts of town where the rest of his group was waiting. Toph pretended to be bored out of her mind. Aang grinned broadly and asked if he got any nuts he could eat while the water tribe siblings refused to meet his eyes. Again the desire to hit something raged inside of him.

"Let's just… keep moving." Zuko awkwardly suggested and began to walk forward. He didn't feel any sense of excitement or anxiety that would constitute the begging of a trip like this, only grief and the need to set something on fire. Zuko lead the party with Toph and Aang behind him talking and then Sokka and lastly Katara. Unlike the pair before them Katara and Sokka did not talk. She stared gloomily down at the dusty path feeling generally betrayed and hurt.

She didn't want to talk to anyone especially not her brother. Her brother thought that once he had exposed what a lying bastard Zuko was that she would be over her crush and move on. This meant that Zuko bashing was an open business, and for a brief time she enjoyed cursing the odd plague and threatening a castration or two but the thought of hurting Zuko hurt her heart in turn. It was something Sokka didn't comprehend. He had never liked anyone who had betrayed him before, and didn't understand that Katara needed time to heal.

But Katara didn't want it to heal. She just wanted to go back to how it was. A tentative touch, a sweet kiss (not that that had happened much) a warm smile, she wanted _him. _She wanted to tangle her hand in his silky raven hair; she wanted to feel the warmth of his skin and the strength of his muscles. She wanted to feel the sparks that shot up her spine every time he touched her. The only problem was that Zuko had lied. He had thrown his affections at her like grains at chickens only to realize that the seeds were poisonous, and she was too proud to go crawling back to him like a simpleton.

There was still the feint hope that Sokka might be wrong about Zuko. She didn't want to just go gallivanting after Sokka's story while Zuko was standing there completely innocent. She had seen the pain in his eyes, at least she had thought. She hoped.

This problem could all be sorted out if Katara and Zuko just settle down and talked about it, without any distractions or outside forces, of course this could not be achieved with anything less than a miracle.

Zuko at the head of the precession felt awkward just walking along and pulled out the map of the Earth Kingdom Mountains. He was sure of where he was going at the moment but he felt he should be doing something.

"Don't tell me we're lost already." Sokka's sarcastic tones echoed from the back of the line.

Zuko turned around and glared at the boy and was about to say something but at that moment caught Katara's eye, who had also looked up at the sound. Zuko hastily dropped his eyes to the map again and responded. "No."

"Well then why do you have the map out?" He persisted. It came to no surprise, because of the emotional stress Zuko had been feeling, that soon there were two coals burning gently on the paper where his fingers were.

"I'm just checking." Zuko growled. Sokka was having fun annoying the hell out of Zuko now and was about to attack him again when Katara grabbed his wrist. Sokka turned around confused at the touch to see his sister shaking her head.

Aang and Toph watched this new problem within their group with curiosity. They obviously had no idea about the events that had emerged and were more than a little puzzled about their friend's reactions.

The best Toph could figure was that Katara and Zuko are an item, or were an item, before Sokka had stepped in and done something stupid like forbid Katara from being around Zuko and therefore caused both Katara and Zuko to get mad at Sokka. Sokka would not relent and just let them be together so instead of Zuko getting chopped to itty-bitty bits they decided to work out a plan.

Aang for his part thought that Zuko and Katara had gotten into a fight, which they had so often before, and Sokka took her side, and now Katara was feeling guilty about yelling at Zuko or something like that.

Both of these guesses were not completely off base but still not completely on it either. After hanging back a bit so they could talk in private they discussed this change in manor.

"What do you think wrongs with Sweetness?" Toph asked. "And Sparky for that matter."

"How could you tell something is wrong?" Aang asked intrigued about how much his blind friend could 'see', and not for the first time felt a little stir of awe for his former teacher. She truly was amazing.

"The way their dragging their feet, their heartbeats are slower, and Katara sighs a lot." Toph explained.

"Well Sokka seems to be enjoying it at any case." Aang shrugged and Toph frowned.

"What do you think is going on?" Toph repeated and they both related their respective theories to the other.

"Well that's just stupid." They both said at the same time, "What do you mean it's stupid?" The both questioned.

"Zuko going out with Katara? That's crazy!" Aang countered and rolled his eyes.

"How is it crazy? Didn't you feel how when they hugged their hearts started going crazy? I'm sure they look at each other all the time, and at dinner he tried to get her to talk, let her have fun too!" Toph ranted. Aang rolled his eyes.

"All right I see your point." He said in an attempt to dissuade Toph, but she was catching stride now.

"And their perfect for each other! I always thought something was going on between those two even back during the war! I mean seriously! I'm blind and I can tell!" Toph was about to go on but Aang cut her off.

"Yes, but Zuko hasn't been one to take things lying down. He wouldn't let Sokka control him without a brawl. It's more likely that they got into a fight. Didn't you see how they were nearly shouting at each other this morning?"

"Oh yeah, totally, did you ever see how bright the sun is too? And how pretty those flowers look?" She said sarcastically. "No stupid I didn't."

"But they were!" Aang pointed out. "And Zuko wasn't in a very pleasant mood this morning."

"When is he ever?" Toph asked dryly. "Well, when he's with Katara he is… almost." She wasn't giving up her theory just yet.

"I don't mean like that! I mean like…" Aang trailed off looking for the right word.

"He's on his man-period?" Toph filled in for him. Aang nodded enthusiastically.

"Exactly!" Then his brain made the connection between what she had said and their meaning. "Well, no not exactly… but the right idea!"

"Well if that were true than they could easily be having a lover's spat, and Sokka took advantage to push the two apart." Toph was convinced that Zuko and Katara had something.

"Or they could just be fighting like they normally do." Aang put in. He was _not _convinced that Zuko and Katara had something.

"Leave that for a second will you?" Toph said annoyed, but pleased at the same time. She liked talking to him, it was so natural. "Where does Sokka fit in to this?"

"He's trying to protect Katara." Aang stated in a matter of fact kind of way.

"From what though? Sparky?" Toph let disbelief color her tone.

"Yeah! He might have thought Zuko was being rude or something and, I don't know got on him or something."

"Or maybe because he thinks that Sparky will _hurt _Sweetness?" She offered and Aang shook his head.

"Zuko would never hurt Katara." Then added as an afterthought. "Again."

"I don't mean like hitting her or something like that. I mean emotionally hurting her." Toph saw the ascent in his eyes before he even said anything and quickly said. "So you do admit that they are seeing each other."

"I never said that!" Aang countered, but Toph bulldozed over him.

"How else could he hurt her this bad?" She said and Aang again was too slow on the draw, "She let him in and then he shut her out."

"Shut her out of what?" Aang asked confused. Toph rolled her eyes.

"His heart stupid." Aang decided to ignore the stupid part. "But they both obviously like each other so why would he do that. Unless he was forced!"

"I told you Zuko wouldn't let someone else control his life!" Aang sighed.

The conversation carried on until they both reached the conclusion that Sokka and Zuko fought and Katara was caught in the middle and had eventually taken Sokka's side but now feels guilty, and whether the reason they were fighting over Katara's affections was not important. This was because neither could convince the other about the feelings between the two. Toph and Aang after this conversation thought the other very stupid.

It was actually a little closer to the actual problem but still not dead center. Then they got off subject on the talk of how much more they had to walk tonight. This was decided for them by the storm clouds, though not directly.

As the two youngest had been talking the scenery had changed from a relatively flat forest to the hilly woods to a few relatively small mountains with forest covering the sides. At the top of the mountains there were rain clouds gathering at the mouth of a river. This river ran all the way down the mountain and crossed directly into the path of Zuko, Toph, Aang, Katara, and Sokka.

Zuko frowned and checked his map again. There was no river shown on it. "Damn that cheep map maker to hell." He swore. Normally he wouldn't have reacted like this but he was tired, irritable, and psychologically stressed out.

The sun was about to go down and Zuko had expected to continue until they reached the small town that was a few miles still down the road. Though the path had a river flowing through it and upset his plans rather spectacularly.

"Is there suppose to be a river there?" Aang asked innocently.

"Yeah," Sokka continued not so innocently.

"No! But it's not on the map! It's not my fault!" Zuko snapped.

"Katara and I can make a bridge no problem!" Aang said brightly and saw the slight grimace when he mentioned Katara's name. _Maybe Toph was right after all, _He thought grimly.

Actually making a bridge was going to be harder than both of them thought. The top of the river didn't look too forceful but beneath was a raging current which broke the surface ice that Katara tried to lay down. This left no choice but to send a block of ice down to the bottom of the river and anchor it to the riverbed which would prove to be much harder.

Katara went first bending a block of ice down to the bottom and then began to extend it so more and more people could fit. Next went Toph then Zuko then Sokka and lastly Aang so he could maintain the ice block from the back. This was slow going and after a few minutes dusk settled around them and Zuko lit a small fire in his hand to keep everything lit well. All in all it was rather miserable and to top it all off it started to rain.

Up on the mountain top it was raining too but not the light drizzle that they were experiencing, this was a huge thunderstorm. Winds shook the trees, rain pelted down to earth like arrows, and thunder and lightning clashed magnificently. The mouth of the river started to swell and send more and more water down the stream, which built up along a natural dam. There were spaces at the bottom that let a little water through at a time but it was filling faster than it was draining, and soon it was all too much and the dam burst.

The water crashed through the broken dam and tore down the river. The vast amount of water acted like a wave through the forest as it came hurtling down until it met the group trying to get past the river.

It was Zuko who realized what was happening first, he heard the dull roar of the water and looked up curiously to see what it was, but by the sheer speed of the water, the flood was on him by the time he had yelled "Look!"

The monstrous wave broke the ice block like it was balsa wood. Zuko who had turned at the last minute got the worst of the blast. The wall of water punched him and flattened him underwater. The current took him further and further stream. He tried to fight against it but it was all too much.

He thought that after all he had been through it was ridiculous that he should die by a mere flood.

* * *

**Okay, okay, don't worry I won't kill off Zuko… maybe… :) I'm actually very proud of myself right now! I finished this chapter in a grand total of three days :D **

**So the above A/N is true I did watch the ATLA movie, and yes my beta does actually sort of, in a sick twisted way… like it… *shivers* feel free to call her a butt muffin until her ears fall off! (no don't do that! :) ((seriously do it! :)) Though my friend and I thought it was horrible and laughed through the entire movie and swearing at the tiny people on the screen! :) So you can say it was a good birthday! **

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS/FAVORITES/ALERTS/READIINGS, at least I hope you guys reviewed, favorite, alerted, and read the last chapter because my beta is still checking over it. :) (Update YEP YALL DID!) I probably won't be able to update for a while so don't get mad at me… get mad at finals! And send chocolate! THAT WILL HELP!**

**The song is basically about Zuko's feelings of rejection and pain that he feels for Katara. Though she secretly still likes him! This is totally turning into a soap opera… well sort of And if you're feeling down and need a little cheer in your life (or like me killing yourself b/c of finals), look up Avatar Retardedness on YouTube, if you don't mind the cussing it's actually hilarious! There are 5 and a ½ parts, and remember Your not drunk, your just not sober :)**

**_Lupe: Do not listen to Bridget and call me a butt muffin, please. Bridget has a tumor, so she has issues. And she's too obsessed with Zuko to kill him off, so don't worry too much. Enjoy and thanks!_**

**^^ seriously call her a butt muffin! :) ^^**


	8. Lie

**Me: I SURVIVED FINALS! Now I just have to live through trucking Geometry…**

**Lupe: That's what you get for being smart I guess. I'm in algebra!**

**Zuko: Trucking?**

**Me: Way to get off topic.**

**Lupe: She doesn't like to say the "F" word.**

**Zuko: Haha, you really don't like to say fu-**

**Me: DON'T! SAY IT!**

**Lupe: Why not say fu-**

**Me: DON'T! I just don't like to say it on the internet.**

**Zuko: Really? Fu** Fu** Fu****

**Me: HAHAHA I can asterisk you!**

**Zuko: Crap….**

**Lupe: Why is this so weird? **

**Zuko: How about you're a trucking bassmole!**

**Me: 1) It's weird because I'm so tired right now because I haven't had my daily coffee, and two because I just got back from playing 3 soccer games in two days ZZZzzzZZZzzz**

**Zuko: That's still no reason to be such a trucking bassmole! HAHA I BEAT THE SYSTEM!**

**Lupe/Me: You are such a trucking idiot.**

* * *

_Let's stay in the dark one more night.  
Don't want to know I'm ok with the silence It's truth that I don't want to hear._

So lie to me and tell me that it's gonna be alright  
So lie to me and tell me that we'll make it through the night  
I don't mind if you wait before you tear me apart  
So look me in the eye,  
And lie

**Lie – David Cook**

* * *

Chapter 8 Lie

Katara clutched desperately to the tiny block of ice that hadn't been destroyed in the onslaught of the wave. She gasped as the waves attempted to pull her down into the splashing mass of freezing black water. She slid on top of the ice with some difficulty and looked around the water. "Anyone?" She screamed. "Toph! Aang! Sokka! Zuko! ANYONE!" She scanned the scanning water trying desperately to spot anyone.

What if everyone had drowned? What if they had all been pushed down stream and now were out in the ocean? A thousand possible horrible outcomes to this predicament flashed through her head. _They can't be dead_, she thought to herself desperately while slowly losing herself to panic. _They can't be. _Katara lowered her head as the terrible possibility hit her. They could be all dead, she would have lost all of her friends in fell swoop. She blinked, hard. As she was opening her eyes she saw a glint of steel out in the peripheral vision. She whipped her head towards the spark. She scrutinized the water hoping beyond hope that someone had survived. There it was again! The same flash of silver caught by the moon.

Katara bended her ice block faster to the source and peered down into the murky water. A few feet ahead of her the light shown again and Katara made a dive for it falling off her ice block. The icy water sent shockwaves up her body and made her nerves scream in pain. She madly waved her arms around and they connected with someone. Katara swam toward them and bended them both above the water.

Katara panted for air as they surfaced. She looked over to see who she had saved and felt a rivet of happiness as she saw dripping black hair and a pale face. She had rescued Zuko. His lips were turning light blue and she couldn't hear him breathing. Katara threw one of his arms over her shoulder and got a firmer grip on him. "You're not going to die on me!" She swore and bended them to the shore.

* * *

Zuko woke up to the uncomfortable sensation of something being drawn out of his throat. He couldn't breathe for a second then the moment passed and he coughed and gasped for breath. He blinked his eyes and a saw a hazy outline of a girl. She was beautiful.

Zuko blinked again and then got a clearer picture. It was Katara standing over him, dripping wet and shivering. He realized that he was wet and icy also. He remembered the giant wave, the sinking, the water rushing into his lungs then… nothing.

Zuko got up and took Katara by the arm, she was shaking all over, she was deathly pale and her lips had turned a soft blue color. "I can walk by myself." She brusquely said through chattering teeth. Zuko let go, but continued to walk.

"We need to make a fire, get dry and find shelter." Zuko instructed. Katara nodded. "Can you bend us dry?" Again Katara nodded and raised her shaking arms, clumsily pushing the water away from them.

Zuko couldn't think strait. He knew there was something he could do also and it meant that he could get warm, but he couldn't think of what it was. He knew that if they didn't start a fire they would die, if they didn't get dry they would die, and if they didn't get shelter they would die.

There was a light rain but neither paid attention to that. Katara silently held up a small dome around them that wavered with her arms, Zuko couldn't think of what to do and just kept walking. He thought that maybe this was because of drowning, drowning, and his tiredness.

"Here's good." He said when he couldn't go on walking. There was a large fallen tree and it would offer them some protection against the wind. They had barely moved a quarter of a mile from the bank.

Zuko slipped his swords from his back (this had been what had caught Katara's eye in the first place) and his pack. He slumped in on himself and shivered. He needed to remember what he needed to remember. It would keep him warm, and he would very much like to be warm. He just needed to recall it. He needed to breathe and remember. Breathe; it had something to do with breathing and fire. Suddenly he remembered.

Zuko breathed in through his nose and felt the fire race through his body and breathed out, flames appeared at his mouth and quickly dispersed. He did this more and more growing warmer and warmer by the second. Zuko followed the list he had set earlier, he needed fire. He looked at Katara who was huddled next to him on the tree. "Katara?" He asked gingerly. She looked up.

"What?" She asked, he didn't like the nasty quaver to her voice.

"I'm going to get firewood, will you be okay for a few minutes?" He asked. She slowly nodded. He gave her a reassuring smile. "I won't be gone for long."

Zuko rushed off and gathered the firewood. He needed to keep the two of them alive for now, and that meant getting Katara warm. Once they do that they could both work together to find the others who are undoubtedly survived and who are waiting on the other side of the bank, because the alternative was too horrible to consider. There could be some way of getting a message to them, but he had no idea where they would be.

Suddenly, as if by will of his thoughts, a burst of fire leapt into the air. It wasn't anything fancy just a fireball but there was a clear message, it was Aang. Zuko fired back. Letting him know that he was there. Aang responded with three burst of flames. Zuko hoped that meant that Sokka and Toph were with him too. Zuko responded with two fire blasts.

There was another fire blast and Zuko returned it. He smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. They all had survived. Now he could focus on Katara. He had food and he could start a fire with his bending; now she just had to get warm. Zuko knew the fastest way to get warm was by stripping the person down and sharing body heat. He didn't think it would sit well with Katara if he started taking off her clothes. He instantly felt awkward and attracted to the idea at the same time. He berated himself for his dirty thoughts in a time like this.

He busied himself in his task of collecting wood. The light drizzle and the biting cold kept cooling him down, and he had to use his breath of fire more times than he can count to keep warm. By the time he made it back to camp he had a reasonable pile of wood and was more or less lukewarm. The first thing he noticed was a small blue shape huddled on the ground, quiet and still.

"Katara?" He asked quickly dropping his sticks and rushing to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, she was bitter cold. "Katara can you hear me?" He asked softly shaking her. She looked up, her lips were blue and her face deathly pale.

"Zuko," She muttered. "It's cold." He gave a smile.

"I'm going to light a fire, I'll be back in a second, hold on for me okay?" He whispered. She nodded then curled back into her ball. Zuko pilled the wood into small pile and light it quickly. He pulled out a blanket from his pack and moved back to Katara. She was, if it were possible, colder.

"Katara, you have to stay awake with me okay?" Zuko insisted, she winced.

"I'm tired." Katara muttered. "I want to sleep."

"You can sleep when you're warm." He promised. Zuko pulled her onto his lap and wrapped the blanket around them. Katara huddled into him like a moth to a light.

"You're hot." She said. Zuko smiled, and sadly replied.

"You won't be saying that when your lucid again." Katara cocked her head.

"You'll remember what Sokka said and you'll hate me again." Zuko shouted at himself _shut up_. Why was he so masochistic? Let him enjoy the moment for a little longer.

"_I _don't hate you. Sokka hates you." She smiled. "And even he doesn't hate you, he's just pissed off at you."

Zuko sighed. "You're not in your right mind." He admitted with reluctance.

"What other mind would I be in?" She asked pointedly. He was painfully aware of her shivers that wracked her body. He drew her in tighter. "Can you kiss me again?" She asked and Zuko frowned.

"Why?" He didn't really mind at all her request but it was so out of the blue that it startled him.

"I feel all warm inside when you kiss me, and I'm cold." Katara sounded like a two year old logically explaining how it rains. So sure and confident that cloud really did cry.

"Yes," was all he answered, and leaned in slowly, gently. Katara pressed her lips to his first. Zuko was content to let all his worries go and just melt with the kiss, but all he could think about was how cold her lips were, and which reminded him of why she had asked him in the first place.

He drew back, she pouted. "I don't want you to stop." He gave a sad shrug of his shoulders.

"Tell me that when you can think straight." She nodded.

"You know, Aang didn't kiss me nearly as much as you do." Zuko frowned. He really didn't want to be compared to her past boyfriend, especially to Aang who never screwed anything up. "He was a lot smaller too, I'm glad you're tall." She shifted her head to get a better position on his chest. He blushed. "You're much… stronger, than Aang too." She poked him weakly in the arm. He blushed more. He didn't know how to respond to that. For a while Katara babbled until she grew more lucid and more tired. She didn't try to leave his arms though.

After what seemed like hours Katara spoke again. "Zuko, thank you."

"You're welcome," He said. The rain had stopped and it was the middle of the night the fire was dim and only still alive by Zuko's will.

"I'm sorry about how I've been acting lately." She admitted. Zuko shifted uncomfortably.

"It's not like you knew any better." He said sympathetically.

"I could have trusted you." She admitted, and Zuko shrugged.

"I could have fought for you." He retorted. They both were quiet for a second.

"I guess it's both our faults." Katara admitted. Zuko smiled.

"I guess." She tilted her head up and kissed him. He smiled, and kissed her back. They lingered a hairs breath away from each other. "Finally."

"What?" Katara asked quietly.

"Your brother didn't interrupt us." He pointed out and Katara giggled.

"God knows he'll be watching us like a hawk when they get over here." She smiled.

"Then we better savor it while we still can." He murmured, and kissed her again. The kiss deepened, and they both lost themselves in it. They held the kiss, becoming less aware of the outside world with every passing minute. Katara eventually broke it.

Zuko frowned, and Katara answered. "I'm tired." She whispered.

"Me too, good night." He whispered and kissed her lightly.

"Good night." She whispered back, and laid her head wearily on Zuko's shoulder, his arms keeping her perfectly warm, his heart beat drumming out a soothing rhythm against her ear. She fell asleep quickly.

* * *

Haku was mad. He was wet and cold and he couldn't risk the fire. It wasn't the worse, he's ever had but it was up there. But he had closed in on the Fire Lord's friend's camp and could sleep in peace while being close enough to hear if they were going to move soon.

Haku was soon forgetting his uneasiness and was slowly falling to sleep when the loud obnoxious boy burst out, livid. "I don't care! Why can't we go over NOW?"

"Because, Sokka, I'm tired, it's nighttime and I want to let the river recede a bit before we make the crossing." The Avatar said a little hotly. He obviously had made this point before.

"Why do you want to go over there so bad anyway Snoozles?" Toph said exasperated also. "Missing Katara's cooking already?"

"NO!" He shouted. "Don't you see?"

"No." Toph said a little confused, it took Haku a minute to remember she was blind. He chuckled a bit at the joke.

"I found Zuko and Katara making out last night, and I broke them up, now he's probably seducing her back to him!" Sokka blurted out desperately. There was a brief pause until…

"I TOLD YOU SO!" Toph screamed loud enough to wake the dead. The avatar muttered some words and he heard the clink of money being exchanged. Haku blinked in surprise. That was the woman that the Fire Lord was talking about in the shop, obviously Sokka shared Haku's astonishment.

"You… you knew?" He asked in a small voice.

"_I _knew because it's obvious. You can see their made for each other." Toph stated in a matter of fact voice.

"Zuko is not made for her!" Sokka grumbled. There was another pause.

"Why did you break them up?" Aang asked and Sokka stuttered while searching for an answer.

"Uh… I uh… she's too young for an older guy!" He stammered.

"Katara is only about two years younger than him, and she's two years older than me." Aang pointed out.

"He's the Lord of an entire nation!" Sokka growled. Haku could tell he was just being a big brother and was over protective of his little sister, but he had no real reason as to why they shouldn't be together.

"If you think about it she's princess of the southern water tribe." Aang put in. He could almost see the frustrated expression that had to be growing on Sokka's face.

"He's… He's a… She's too… UH!" He hollered in defeat. Haku settled back down, hoping he could finally get some sleep. He shut his eyes and was drifting off-

"Have you checked this area for Airbenders?" Toph asked. Haku wondered what she was talking about.

"Yes, but I didn't go much farther, we don't like flat places, we like the mountains and high places like that." Aang, who sounded so happy before now sounded sullen and depressed.

"Don't worry you'll find them." Toph said. Aang sighed in frustration.

"Everyone keeps saying that, but it won't, unless by some miracle. I should probably just give up now and spare myself the heartache." Aang spat.

"No, it won't you need to go on looking! You need to keep searching because one day you'll find them and then it will be okay." Toph sounded awkward giving the advice but apparently Aang didn't mind.

"Thanks Toph." He said.

"No problem Twinkletoes." It was silent for a few minutes. Haku could hear the crickets in the grass the soft blowing wind. The shallow roar of the water as it rushed down the river, only a few hours ago a raging force. He felt perfectly at ease.

"It's weird that now we're all paired off, except for us…" Aang started and Haku nearly ripped the hair out of his head. Why couldn't the monk simply GO! TO! SLEEP! Who cares if they are all paired off! Not the person trying to sleep ten feet away in a clump of bushes that's who! Haku wondered pointlessly.

"I guess. It's all the matter of finding the right person." Toph said, there was something in her voice that was different then her confident, cocky tone, though Haku couldn't put his finger on it.

"I guess." Aang echoed. "Do you think you've found the right person?"

Toph sighed. "Maybe, I don't know if he likes me back yet."

"Really? What's his name?" Aang gasped. Toph sighed again but this time for a completely unrelated reason.

"Nothing, just… I'm tired. Let's go to bed." Toph said depressed. Haku relished the thought of sleep. Soon Aang and Toph started snoring. Haku relaxed and allowed himself to rest. He let his muscles calm from their tense position, his eye close and his breathing even out, and before he knew it, Haku was sound asleep.

* * *

**Hey, I have had to rewrite this chapter 3 times because I absolutely suck at writing fluffy sense, because for example "When he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun." and "Her beauty makes This vault a feasting presence full of light." That's love and poetry combined, and since the only poetry I know is song lyrics that usually include "I've got a theory, it could be bunnies" My poetry is quite limited, and I'm just not that good at writing loving words… Now for something completely different**

**If you are a close reader you will notice Haku is coming quite a lot more. It's because I love building him when I first started I thought that he was going to be a flat character, but now I see it through his eyes! So be prepared for more Haku, and his problems sleeping are therapy for my troubles sleeping on the bus home from soccer, not as easy as it seems! **

**Toph's problems dealing with an clueless guy is help for my own problems going on right now, I got a friend who I like and I don't know if he likes me back paired with the start of Geometry and Biology it's been a sucky week. So cheer me up and REVIEW! :)**

**Great thanks to all of you who reviewed last chapter and for calling Lupe a Butt-Muffin except for **_**Untilthemoonrises **_**Who called me a butt-muffin -.- (jk :)**

**Now this A/n is running very long so I'll just say wat the song is for and be out of here! :)**

**The song is by David Cook and it describes Zuko's feeling for the loopy Katara, he thinks that she's lying and doesn't want it to stop. And sorry for this chapter being shorter than most but like I said My week has sucked and I've had to rewrite this 3 times Bye:)**

**UPDATE: I got a question for all of you! And Please answer it! Would you like a Taang chapter in which they... express some feelings? Or do you just want to continue on with the stroy and have Aang being oblivious? If you could answer that it would be awesome! Because i seriously have no idea what to do next... **

Lupe: A Taang chapter would be cute if you wanted, but your story. GOES IN STORY!: Alright, I did not appreciate the butt muffin comments, but it is not my story so… but thank you for Untilthemoonrises for calling Bridget a butt muffin and deflating her ego. Enjoy the story! Keep Reiding!


	9. I Belong To You

****

Me: So this is my first attempt at a Taang chapter… don't shoot me

**Zuko: Why am I not in it?**

**Lupe: Teeheehee penis cucumber**

**Me: *sigh* Zuko you're in it. Just not a lot. Lupe, SHUT UP! I CAUGHT IT DIDN'T I?**

**Zuko: Haha what did Lupe just say?**

**Me: Nothing, she just wrote Penis cucumber in my last docx and I only caught it in time.**

**Lupe: HAHAHA that would have been hilarious if you didn't catch it! **

**Me: Shut. Up. **

**Zuko: Moving on…. Why are the chapters getting shorter?**

**Me: They're not, the last one was really difficult to write and this one was going to a lot shorter and it was suppose to not go up until I finished another Zutara chapter but it didn't work out that way. **

**Zuko: Oh… Oh crap you're back to your muse music O.o**

**Me: YEP! I downloaded all of the resistance album and one of their live CD's (all legally) **

**Lupe: Was that that stuff you're always trying to sing?**

**Me:…. Maybe…..**

**Zuko: Hahaha! You are such a loser! You sing along to your songs?**

**Me: Ac/dc's the worst… **

**Lupe/Zuko: *Dying of laughter* **

**Me: Okay that's enough… *continues to laugh* okay fine its funny enough! *continues to laugh* ENOUGH!**

**Lupe: What?**

**Zuko: *shocked* calm down kitty!**

**Me: *RAWR!***

* * *

_I can't find the words to say,  
But they're overdue,  
I've travelled half the world to say,  
I belong to you_

**I belong to you/****Mon coeur s'ouvre ****a ta voix – Muse**

* * *

Chapter 9 – I belong to you/ Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix

Toph woke up with a dry mouth and a strange feeling that today was going to be awesome. She rose and bumped her head on something. _I stand corrected._ She thought dryly rubbing the top of her head and reached for the offending object. It was a tree branch. Those stupid things, she couldn't 'see' them and was always running over them, and tripping and hitting them accidentally.

Sokka was still sleeping across they way, but Aang was up and about. He gave off an air of happiness that shouldn't be assimilated with mornings, though it was hard to be mad at Aang for anything. He was so damn, for lack of a better word, adorable. Of course Toph couldn't tell if he was literally adorable, but the way he acted was cute.

She stretched irritably, he just thought of her as a friend though. He had admitted as much to her last night, when she had dropped the huge hint of "yes I do like someone" She had little to no experience with boys her own age but she didn't think that they were that oblivious. _Maybe it's just Aang. _She reasoned. That put her in a worse mood; _of course I fall for the dumb one. _

"Toph you're up!" Aang thrilled, Toph kept her scowl on her face.

"Unfortunately." She muttered darkly.

"At least you're better than Sokka, he snores so loud it was hard just to fall asleep. I wonder what Zuko and Katara are doing about now, do you think we should go over to them or they come over to us. I'm think them come over to us because they wouldn't want to make the crossing twice, actually three times now because they got across in the first place. Don't you think it would be three times?" Aang babbled.

Toph made a movement somewhere between a nod and a shake of the head. She liked it when he would just go on speaking and speaking. Babbling but not in an annoying way, just breaking the monotonous of walking.

"OH WILL YOU SHUT UP?" Sokka roared. He obviously been trying to sleep off his bad mood, and had been kept awake by Aang's twittering.

"Sorry Snoozles didn't want to interrupt your beauty sleep" Toph said sarcastically. Sokka grumbled and climbed out of his sleeping bag, he was not having a good day so far.

"Sokka," Aang said a little exasperated. "You're just going to have to accept it." Toph rolled her eyes of course Sokka was still hung up about Zuko and Katara. He didn't even know for sure they were dating, and he was ready to tear Zuko's liver out.

"I won't." Sokka muttered defiantly. Toph sighed, she felt bad for Katara having to fight her family for her maybe boyfriend. _At least she has a boyfriend. _Toph thought to herself, suddenly she didn't feel too sorry for Katara anymore.

Aang quickly ordered everyone into action, clearing the campsite, loading packs, making sure everyone was fed and ready to go. It was a novel experience for the other too though Sokka was still too upset to enjoy it. Aang, who was never been responsible for anything that had to do with cooking (because he can't cook) or caring for the others (he could barley take care of himself) did everything. Toph knew that the childish boy, who had once conducted an orchestra of groundhogs, had grown into a considerate guy he was today.

And that made her like him all the more.

Toph had always been comfortable around men, she had considered her wrestling team, her family for many years. She had grown up around boys, she had fought with boys, and liked them better than women.

While women tended to stab you in the back men stab you in the front, you know they hate you and they know you hate them. Except for Aang, he always helped her and she knew that he would consider it a cardinal sin to betray a friend. Maybe that's why she likes him so much.

Aang looked over the muddy bank, the water was still murky and the sides of the river were completely destroyed as if they had been scraped away, there was the odd branch or piece of debris that would meander down. He stretched and breathed deeply, then flexed his arms freezing the water on top of the river to see if it would hold. Like yesterday it wouldn't.

Aang made the ice block again and helped Toph on to it. "Thanks" She said and gave a soft smile. Sokka grumbled as he got on the block about how he was tired of ice. Sokka hated everything when he was mad and Aang was sick of playing therapist.

There was little conversation on the trip over to the other side of the river, Aang was concentrating on his block, and Sokka wasn't in the mood for talking, or maybe Toph wasn't in the mood to speak to an angry Sokka.

Aang successfully navigated the ice block to the other side of the river, and Toph moved to his side. "Where do you think they're at?" She asked. Aang scanned the forest.

"You can't feel anything?" He questioned, she gave him a dry laugh.

"I'll tell you when my feet thaw out." She replied. Aang felt himself smiling.

"Well they couldn't be that far from the bank if they were as tired as us last night, why don't we spread out and search?" He knew as he said it that they would adopt his plan but it was still polite to ask.

"Toph go with Sokka and look straight ahead and I'll take the right, if you find them ask Zuko to give a signal."

"I don't need a baby sitter!" Toph growled defensively.

"How would you see the signal?" Aang asked patiently. Toph hesitated for a second.

"Couldn't I go with you?" She inquired. Aang knew she didn't want to go with Sokka.

"Look," He said quietly so Sokka wouldn't hear. "if he finds Zuko and Katara he might kill Zuko, and I don't think his citizens would like that much." Toph cracked a grin.

"Not to mention Iroh would be upset." She said and they departed.

Aang really hoped, for Zuko's sake, that he found the pair before Sokka. Aang had grown to like his former teacher quite a lot.

It was Aang who found the two, and he thanked God that he did. Katara was sleeping curled up on Zuko's lap while his arms encircled her, a rough blanket was thrown on top of them as if with shaking hands.

It was enough to drive any protective brother insane. Aang tried to think of something witty to say to them as they woke up but before he could Zuko's eyes flashed open. He looked around confused for a second and saw Aang who was smiling at him.

"Well you took you time." He croaked, his voice was raw and scratchy. He nudged Katara tenderly and she yawned.

"What is it?" She questioned, her voice was sore too. Aang couldn't help but think that they all sounded hoarse from nearly drowning.

"Time to wake up, Aang's here." Katara's eyes flew up and she burst up from Zuko's arms. She stood and looked around, one of her knees buckled but she managed to keep her feet.

"Where's everyone else?" She asked nervously. Zuko got up slowly beside her. Aang couldn't help but smile, he was happy for his best friend and his old teacher, now only if he could find someone for him.

"They're here. We split up to search for you." Zuko rubbed his eyes.

"How are we going to get back to them?" He asked. Aang shot a single fire blast into the air.

"Like that." He said. Zuko packed the blanket back in his pack while they were waiting, leaving Katara and Aang to talk.

"So you two like each other now?" He started and Katara nodded. She smiled briefly before saying.

"What does Sokka think?" Then without waiting for an answer followed up "How mad is he?"

"Pretty pissed off." Aang said, and Katara instead of growing discouraged adopted a look of hard resolution.

"Well he's just going to have to live with it." She said with uncharacteristic firmness.

"Okay," Aang said holding his hands up in defense. "He's your brother."

"And Zuko's my boyfriend!" Katara said back resolutely. She stood straight and tall in defiance of her brother.

"Tell him that." Aang advised, and soon came that moment. Toph and Sokka came to them. Sokka glared angrily at Zuko who glared back, except Katara rushed forward grabbed Sokka by the arm and dragged him forward and they started arguing. Zuko trailed them at a distance to seem like he was not getting involved but at the same time he was able to eavesdrop. This left Aang and Toph to themselves.

"I'm glad you found them Twinkle toes." Toph acknowledged. Aang nodded in earnest.

"So am I, they were sleeping together when I found them." Toph's eyebrows rose in shock, until she thought about how innocent Aang was and realized he meant actually _sleeping_.

"Yeah, I'm glad I don't have that problem." Toph said. "No over protective family to worry about my boyfriend."

"I'll make up for it." Aang assured earning a whack on the shoulder. "You think I'm kidding too."

"No, I don't that's the problem." She stated softly. Aang nudged her gently.

"So are you going to tell me who he is?"

"Who who is?" Toph asked like she didn't already know what he was talking about.

"I want to know who you like." Aang said nearly bouncing in anticipation. "Is it Teo?"

Toph wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Teo? Really? That's your best guess? Do you really think that little of me?" It was play but Aang didn't think so.

"You seemed really… _friendly _at the Northern Air Temple." He said defensively. Toph rolled her sightless eyes.

"I'm kidding." She admitted. "Teo's cool but I'm thinking of someone else." She said the words to see Aang's reaction to them. What his reaction was did not encourage her.

"I want to meet this guy! Is he tall? Is he nice? What kind of hair does he have? Do I know him? Should I know him? Is he cool? Is he good-looking? Is he a bender? Is he from the Earth Kingdom?" Aang babbled. Toph sighed, but remained mute. "Tell me, please?" He made a cute puppy-dog face, which she couldn't see, but the tone in his voice gave her a distinct impression what he looked like.

"No, you know him." She stated clearly, she didn't say anything more until they reached the small town they were meaning to get to. It was called Zhejiang. Katara and Sokka had stopped fighting, though Sokka was still pouting. Katara, successful in her domination of her brother fell back to Zuko and they talked quietly while holding hands.

Zuko stopped the group a bit outside the village. "We need supplies, so don't waste the money on useless things." He looked particularly at Aang for some reason. "Don't talk to someone for too long, and for God's sake Aang don't let anyone see your tattoos."

"Don't let anyone see your scar." Aang advised. Katara had already painted it over with the white make-up. Zuko let a tight grin through.

"Also, travel in pairs except for Sokka." He added the last bit with a smirk that earned him a disapproving look from Katara. "Don't bend if you can help it we will all meet up in the inn for lunch. Agreed?"

"Sure." Aang answered for the group. They all got up and dusted themselves off.

Toph and Aang went after Sokka into the town. Aang kept up his interrogations about who Toph likes.

"What color eyes does he have?" He asked and as usual received a tight lipped response, and only an answering question of,

"Do you think this cucumber is ripe?"

"Is he older than you?" Aang probed, Toph's frown deepened.

"How much do you think these are?" She replied, and silently wished he would just ask 'Is it me?' So she can answer an honest yes… or maybe she could chicken out and bluster.

They soon left the vendor and moved on to a fruit stand where Aang now started up a string of question with the theme 'How good-looking is he?' He then moved onto what clothes does he wear, what kind of hair, and if he is a wrestler.

"Look, Twinkle Toes, is this any of your business." She said, not nearly as annoyed as she would have been if it was anyone else.

"No, but I still want to know. No one ever tells me anything." Aang pleaded. Toph vehemently shook her head.

"Oh come on, please? Just one hint, just one little hint?" He begged.

"Okay, he's kind of on the stupid side." Toph released the information at the perfect time. Aang was now distracted by other, idiotic men leaving her to do the shopping.

"Is he tall?" Aang asked. Toph raised an eyebrow.

"Look at me Aang, do you think I could even date a tall guy?" He laughed.

"Well, he might be tall! You know a short girl and a tall boy look cute together." He thought about what he just had said" I just lost all my manliness in your eyes didn't I?" He asked.

"You lost that when I started calling you Twinkle toes. And I can't see your height." She smiled, until she realized what she said. "I-I-I mea-an _his!His_ height! Not your! Not your! Why- why would I say you?" She flustered. This would be one of those times when she wished she could see, when she could judge his expression, but all she had was a stupid pulse monitior!

"So, you like me?" Aang questioned Toph was grasping at straws.

"Maybe, no! How would… well yeah. I mean Yeah but you… I mean no I mean…" Toph sighed. 'I guess so." Her cheeks burned and she looked down. She couldn't believe that she made that slip. It was horrible, and she hoped for the grace of God that Aang would have a momentary brain lapse and forget all about the past ten seconds.

"Well that's a relief!" Aang sighed. Toph looked up in shock and in hope. "I like you too, I couldn't figure out a way to tell you… well I couldn't figure out how to tell you… well I was scared out of my mind."

"You're such a coward." She teased, a smile breaking out over her face in relief and joy.

"And you're so tough." He said sarcastically smiling in return "Yes, I mean no, I mean Maybe." He mocked.

"Oh shut up." She said, punching his arm for good effect.

"When did that ever work?" Aang reasoned but was quiet after. They started walking away when Aang frowned as the penny dropped. "Hey! I'm not stupid!"

**

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Sorry, as I said before I'm not good at writing relationships. It's just awkward. And being paid to cock-block my friend and her boyfriend has made it a semi-unromantic week.

**BUT NOW IT'S SUPERBOWL SUNDAY! :DDDD Sorry for all of you not in the U.S. who don't know what I'm talking about. And for all of you who love the Steelers I'M WITH YOU! Mostly because if I'm not I will get murdered by half my friends 0.0! And I like ****Ben Roethlisberger (I totally did not just Google who the Steelers qb is or anything *sheepish grin*) I'm sorry, but I like college football a lot better than professional, and soccer a lot better than college football. *sigh* if only Ronaldo and Messi played football.**

**So the song is pretty self-explanatory. Toph accidentally slips and says she likes Aang which she "couldn't find the words to say". And like Zuko pointed out above I've gone back to my muse ways. It's because they're amazing! Their live stuff is even better! Listen to Butterfly and Hurricanes Live. It will change your life! **

**THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! :D They make my day! And I've got a family situation going on right now so it's been a sad day, and they really make me happy! :) Thank you again for the reviews! And don't forget to review this chapter! :) DFTBA! **


	10. Resistance

**Me: YES! YESYESYESYESYESYES! **

**Lupe: What?**

**Zuko: What's wrong with you!**

**Lupe: Hey! Chill! **

**Zuko: NO! I'VE BEEN LOCKED IN A CLOSET FOR THE PAST THREE WEEKS! ALONE, AND IN THE DARK!**

**Me: … I have no free time! It's not my fault! Blame soccer!**

**Lupe: You had enough time for my birthday!**

**Me: OH YEAH! EVERYBODY IT WAS LUPE'S BIRTHDAY LAST SATURDAY! :DDD**

**Zuko: Cool! Back to my problems**

**Me: Don't be selfish! And YOUR problems always take a back seat to mine. Like the fact that I haven't been out with my friends in like three weeks! :O **

**Zuko: *sarcastic* poor you.**

**Lupe: Yeah I've been bored! **

**Me: Me too! Damn geometry and biology D: **

**Zuko: Are you seriously talking about school! I WAS TRAPPED IN A CLOSET!**

**Me: Well now you're out so cheer up!**

**Zuko: IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I AM OUT OF THE CLOSET OR NOT! IT STILL HURTS!**

**Me/Lupe: *looks at each other* Think about what you just said…**

**Zuko: Oh God! I AM NOT GAY!**

**Me: If you were gay…**

**Zuko: What are you-**

**Me: That would be okay!**

**Zuko: Okay, funny now-**

**Me: I mean CUZ HEY!**

**Zuko: Are you se-**

**Me: I LIKE YOU ANYWAY!**

**Zuko: I am not-**

**Me: Because you seeeee**

**Zuko: Are you hi-**

**Me: IF IT WERE ME! **

**Zuko: Are you les-**

**Me: I would feel free to say that I was gay! But I'm not gay!**

**Zuko: I think that's denial.**

**Lupe: I'm trapped in here with two idiots… **

_Will they find our hiding place?  
Is this our last embrace?  
Or will the walls start caving in?_

**Resistance- Muse**

Chapter 10- Resistance

Sokka was having a crappy day, but on the contrary Zuko's day was going unnaturally well. Sokka and Zuko's out looks on life were due to the cause of one thing, actually a person, and Zuko was currently holding hands with that person, which is probably the reason that Sokka's day was going so poorly.

"Now don't go gloating or anything to Sokka, because I know you will." Katara said forcibly. Zuko smiled but didn't respond and Katara shot him a look. "I'm serious, don't."

"I know you are." He responded a bit mockingly. "But…" Katara cut him off before he got started.

"No." He put on his best puppy dog face and she smiled. "That's adorable but still, no."

"You think I'm adorable?" Zuko teased, Katara smiled.

"I'm not going to say, your ego is big enough already." Zuko shrugged concluding it was fair point.

They were easily strolling around in the streets of Zhejiang still not close to the influx of shops that would suit Zuko's purpose better than any street vendor that came from the country, and he was scared of who would recognize him.

He had been to a small farming village just north of the town, and the last time he had made quite an impression. He distinctly remembered the entire population coming out to make sure he left, even after he got rid of the pathetic Earth Kingdom soldiers. He smiled as he thought of the little kid Lee.

"We came to this place before." Katara remarked. Zuko looked down at her. "The people were a lot friendlier." He did notice something different. He and Katara were not being called out to by the scared merchants on the streets, mothers pulled their children closer to them as they walked, there wasn't anyone who wasn't armed in some way, and they were getting very dirty looks, especially Zuko.

"They're just tense from the war. A year isn't that long for old prejudices to past." He reasoned, though it wasn't particularly true, hatred maybe some of the problem but there was something else, lurking just below the surface.

"Where are we going to look anyway? Where would your mother stop at?" Katara looked around at the milling people, most avoided her gaze.

"She would have at least stayed in a town like this for several weeks. It would have let her learn the Earth Kingdom styles and customs, she would have learned what to do. That was the biggest problem for Uncle and I, we were always asked 'where are you from' well that and –"Zuko babbled nervously. This is where he could possibly find his mother; just maybe she heard about the war ending and had stopped in this town on her way back to the port. And the constant staring of the town's people was setting him on edge.

"Shh… calm down." Katara said squeezing his hand gently. "You're making me anxious alright, look there's a shop lets go ask."

"Okay," Zuko felt embarrassed that he let himself ramble like that. "Remember my name is Lee, and your name is-"

"Sapphire Fire." She giggled, and Zuko rolled his eyes, he had been informed of the joke earlier and thought that the whole idea was completely stupid, which only hid the utter shame in his country that their brightest adult could not recognize the Avatar even when he's right under their noses.

"Suit yourself." He teased slightly.

"It's better than Junior." She muttered. Zuko whipped hishead towards Katara who looked innocent.

"How do you know about that?" His face was a mask of shock and horror. She slyly smiled, but didn't reply. They walked into the store and they looked around. Zuko had explained this all to Katara earlier. They would buy something and mention the woman in passing. People would be more likely to talk if they are getting money.

"This is pretty." Katara said. Zuko looked down and saw a scroll that depicted an Earth Bender lifting a rock over his head, colored with paint splatters

"It's unique." He admitted. He always thought art was useless though.

"Kind of useless though…" Katara debated. Zuko smiled tightly.

"That's what I was thinking." Katara laughed.

"Can you read my mind?" She asked and Zuko pressed his fingers to temples. He opened his eyes to find nearly the whole store looking at him, Katara was flushed and tugged at his arms giggling.

"You're strange, and people are staring." She said though the urgency was lost in the laughter. He lowered his hands and took one of hers again.

"Be lucky I didn't start to chant." He warned with an entirely straight face. Katara laughed, but then stopped as she saw he was serious.

"You really wouldn't do that would you?" She asked, a bit of concern crossing her face.

"Immediately and without hesitation."He was expressionless. Katara creased her eyebrows, and he gave a cheeky smile.

"Great." She said a bit nervously.

"I'm kidding." He laughed. "How about this?" He held up a scroll depicting an intricate Earth Bending move. "Toph would like it!"

"Toph can't read." Katara frowned at her boyfriend, sometimes he could have his blonde-moments, she noted.

"Aang could read it to her and show her how… though I don't think she needs more ways to kill people…" He hesitated about to set down the scroll. A woman came near them and was about to pick up the scroll but after looking at it set it back down.

"Well we need to buy something. Why not buy something for everyone." Katara offered. Zuko quickly picked up the scroll again in answer and they walked towards the clerk who smiled falsely at them. Actually he only seemed to notice Katara, he completely ignored Zuko.

"Did you find everything alright?" The clerk said speaking only to Katara, which pissed Zuko off a bit. He was used to being the center of attention, whether it is being glared at or bowed down to.

"Just fine," Katara answered oblivious to her being singled out.

"Three silver pieces please." The clerk said. Katara looked at Zuko.

"Lee, do you have money?" She asked though she already knew the answer.

"Sure," He pulled out the money and laid it on the counter. The clerk looked at it suspiciously, as if it was poisoned. Katara noticed the obvious distain towards Zuko.

"Actually three silver pieces seem like a lot, we can always just leave." She said tactfully. The clerk looked at Katara and instantly started to worry.

"No, I'm sorry, just… your friend… he's Fire Nation isn't he." The clerk seemed nervous and eyed Zuko's sword nervously. Again the clerk never spoke directly to the owner of the swords.

"Yes. I am. I'm not a bender though." Zuko lied easily. The clerk still looked uneasy.

"There… there have been a lot of… dislike towards Fire Benders… even after the war…" The clerk seemed uncomfortable saying this to Zuko. Zuko accepted this as a perfectly legitimate excuse though. He knew prejudice against the people who repressed the Earth Kingdom citizens was going to be hard to get over. His first few months in office were spent rounding up so called 'nationalist' groups who would try and raise a militia to start a coup and take over a small town somewhere in the fire nation.

"That's why I left the Fire Nation two years before the war ended." Zuko lied again smoothly. The clerk visibly relaxed.

"That's strange I haven't seen you around here, I'm Tao." He started to warm up and that was exactly was Zuko had been hoping.

"I'm Sapphire, and this is Lee. We're not from around here. We're actually looking for someone and stopped in the town for supplies, and just happened into your lovely shop." She gave Tao a bright friendly smile. She's always so kind, and Zuko felt a warm surge of happiness as he remembered she was his.

"Well, who you looking for? I know just about everyone in the town." Tao offered. Zuko broke in, eagerly.

"A woman, my mother actually, I lost her when we were fleeing the Fire Nation, she would be about forty maybe, pale with long black hair, thin and tall? She would have just passed through maybe for a month." Zuko's palms felt sweaty as Tao looked down at the counter his face screwed up with thinking. Katara gave his hand a squeeze for luck.

"No, sorry. No one I know is like that. Good luck with your looking though." He gave a cheery wave of his hands and thrust the bag with the scroll into their general vicinity.

Zuko couldn't help but feel discouraged as he took the bag. The words 'I know just about everyone in the town' kept bouncing around his head. He had had the unrealistic hope that his mother would be living just down the street from the shop and he would walk in to find her knitting or making tea or something and she would run tearfully and hug him…

Maybe…

"It's just one person, we'll keep looking." Katara soothed.

"Okay," Zuko said, slowly and just a little discouraging. And his discouragement kept increasing with the passing of the day.

They visited all the shops on the main street and accumulated a granite ball for Toph, the scroll for Aang, and a wrist band for Sokka that had an etching of a leopard-tiger. Zuko wanted to get him something that he himself had picked out but Katara didn't think it would be nice.

"I still say we should have gotten him that lovely necklace." Zuko said, the necklace in question was for five year olds, it included a pretty carving of a flower with a butterfly.

"You need to be the bigger person here." Katara said rolling her eyes. Zuko gave her an odd look and a smile.

"When have I ever been the bigger person? I'm a spoiled brat." She giggled despite herself. "Wait here for a second."

"Why?" Katara asked.

"Trust me?" He didn't say anything more, and Katara just nodded, still a little suspicious.

"I'll be right back." He promised, and before he left, brought Katara's hand to his lips. She blushed and before she could protest, Zuko had whisked away into the crowd.

Katara felt awkward just standing there, and so went to sit down on a bench. She watched people until someone came and sat down beside her. She glanced over and it was a man in his twenties. Katara settled back to people watch when… "Hey, you. What's your name?"

"None of your business." Katara replied coolly, she was used to dealing with these types. They were unfortunately in abundance in the South Pole.

"You were with that Fire Nation guy earlier right?" The guy inched closer, she could tell that he was obviously Fire Nation too with pale skin and pitch black hair.

"Yeah, and I don't need him to protect me so why don't you just leave me alone." Katara said and she got up. The man just looked after her as she stalked in the general direction Zuko went. He shook his head in annoyance. It wasn't her they wanted, why couldn't she see that?

"Hey," Zuko said as he saw Katara marching towards him. His grin slowly dimmed and the rose in his hand suddenly lost its romance. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just some guy. Forget it." Katara brushed it off. Zuko looked around and tried to see him.

"Who was it?" He had an angry glare on his face. "He didn't bother you did he?" Katara rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine, I don't need you to fight my battles." She said and he looked a bit hurt.

"Yeah I know, I'm sorry, it's not that I don't know you can it's just that, I don't want you to have to. If that makes sense…" He felt a small blight of remorse for his off handed comment but Katara smiled a bit and she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks. I understand what you mean." He smiled and lifted the rose.

"You missed, if I give you this, will your aim improve?" He had a smirk on his now preoccupied lips. This was turning his day from depressing to better. A lot better. Katara broke apart from him insisting that people were staring and she tucked the rose behind her ear.

"It really is beautiful. Where did you find it?" She asked fingering it. Zuko gave a small glow of pleasure, he never was very romantic with Mai, she never was into the mushy crap, and knowing he did something right filled him with a warm feeling.

"In a little shop, my mother wasn't seen…" He informed, his voice fell in disappointment. Katara sighed.

"I'm sorry." She said gently. Zuko shrugged but said nothing. He knew it was a slim shot but his hope was still raised.

They walked a minute in silence. Until finally Zuko broke it. "We still have an hour to kill. What do you want to do?" Katara looked up and he grinned down.

"I don't care, whatever you want, you said you've been here before right? You were probably here longer than us." Zuko squirmed uncomfortably.

"Well… when I say here, I mean a few miles to the north… not a good experience." Katara was quiet for a second then bounced back.

"We can go to the market and just look around." She suggested half-heartedly.

"Or we could just talk." Zuko suggested nodding to a bench. Katara smiled.

"I like that better." She admitted. They made their way to the bench but noticed a small disturbance around them.

"Hello." A voice behind them said. They spun around and Zuko's hand went to his swords and Katara's to her water skin. It was the same man from earlier.

"Get out of here." Katara hissed. The man held up his hands in a sign of peace.

"I want to talk to you." The man, unlike most of the population only addressed Zuko. Zuko in response snarled.

"You creep on my girlfriend, you bother us and you have the nerve to come up and demand that I talk to you? You have two seconds to turn around and walk away before I make you."

"You're Fire Nation aren't you?" The man called ignoring his warning. Zuko's hand flashed to his own face before realizing the paint was still intact. Katara looked up frowning at him and slowly shook her head.

"Why should you care?" Zuko said and continued to walk away, Katara gave him a small nod.

The man came up behind them and put his hand on their shoulders and pushed them apart so he could get in the middle, at the same time he began pushing against their back forcing them to the space between two shops. Katara turned around and punched the man in the stomach. Zuko whippedhis swords out, except the man had done his job, two men rushed out and dragged them backwards. The man picked Zuko's swords up from where they fell out of his hands and stuck them in the ground of the mouth of the alley crushing the rose that fell from the girls hair.

The man who had just kidnapped the couple were pretty smug right now, Manchu was his name, the man who had distracted them. Except they had forgotten Katara, which was the first of two mistakes they made.

The first mistake was probably the bigger of the two. Katara still had complete use of her hands since the people dragging her, held her under her armpits. She created the water whip and sent it flying back into the face of her captor, then into Zuko's.

The second mistake was forgetting how dangerous a Fire Bender can be when pissed off, and Zuko was pissed off. He just wanted to have a nice date with his girlfriend, finally after months of pining he finally gets to treat her like a lady and like his**.** And maybe finally find his mother and these sons of bitches were not going to take that away from him.

Once Katara knocked down the man holding him, Zuko sprang up and sprinted towards the entrance, Manchu's fist began to glow and he punched. Zuko's instincts kicked in he ducked the fire not coming anywhere close to him, and picked up his swords. Manchu looked at the swords and then to grave look on Zuko's face. He had a feeling that this man wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

Manchu hesitated and that gave Zuko the chance to slam his hilt against his temple. Manchu was indeed counted lucky by his colleges who were facing Katara.

Katara had her water out and was whipping her stream of water around her and blocking fire blasts and slashing her whip down on her unawares attackers, which was pretty simple for someone of her stature. Until someone hooked their arm around her neck and tackled her.

She elbowed the person in the face but the arm constricted, the heat began to build and Katara started lashing out wildly but the burning pain around her neck limited her movements, his friend began to shout encouragements at him, and jeer at Katara. Not all of them have escaped harm from the Water bender**. **A flash of iron brushed right in front of Katara's face down the length of the man's arm. Blood spurted from the cut and dripped onto her clothes, but Zuko's action had done it's work. The man grunted and clutched his arm, and released Katara. She stood up quickly and summoned her water again.

"Thanks." She said and tried to ignore the pain on her throat and chest.

"No problem." Zuko said as he blocked a fire blast with his swords.

Conversation was scarce for a few minutes as they both concentrated in order to fight. Until a feminine voice called "Stop!" All the men stopped and stood straight, in a strangely robotic movement. Katara and Zuko, back to back, still kept their weapons out, just in case.

"You idiots, why on earth would you attack this man?" A woman called. In unison the men replied.

"He refused Ma'am." Zuko felt a sudden wave of fear. This woman reminded him of his sister. Cold, calculating, and manipulative, with white skin and black hair pulled back into a top knot, like the Fire Nation style, the only difference was this woman's nose was broken and her eyes were a mahogany. Because of his fright Zuko growled.

"What did we refuse? Your men kidnapped us!" He shouted. The woman frowned and cocked her head in annoyance then turned her pitiless eyes on her soldiers, there are no other words for them.

"You fools! Why would you attack him!" The woman spat and the men flinched and offered apologies. The woman scoffed and brushed them off like bothersome flies.

"They attacked us because you are all crazy! Let us leave if you have any sense at all." Katara yelled. She sidestepped Zuko and raised her water, freezing it into a deadly icicle. The woman brushed Katara off too and, addressing only Zuko, gave a low bow.

"My deepest and humblest apologies Fire Lord Zuko, we are honored to have you fight for my cause."

**Anyone else creeped out? :O! I mean if a group of people came up and started attacking your girlfriend and you just happen to be oh the Prince of France or more so JAPAN! And your incognito and the leader of the people just comes up and starts calling you the Prince of Japan, WOULDN'T YOU BE CREEPED! You don't know? Really? This has never happened to you? Really? Oh… Okay…**

**This is awkward. **

**Sorry for the really long wait. Soccer has officially killed my social life, and my writing life. Soccer is great only if it wasn't so time consuming! GAR! So that is partly the reason I haven't written in a while… and the fact that I got very bad writers block about half way through…**

**Anyway, you might have notice how fluffy FAIL this chapter is! I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm very bad at fluff… it's just awkward for me I don't know why! **

**The song is about the whole "damn you found my secret out" thing at the end of the chapter. I love muse, and it's my jam! I rock out to it.**

**I'm very anxious to get on to the next chapter. :P Hope anyone who is like me and are drowning in homework KEEP ON LEARNING! **

**Thank you for all my reviews THEY WERE AWESOME! **** Review/Favorite/Alert if you haven't already! **** Except for the reviews you can tell me anything you want anytime!**

**The song that I was singing in my above A/N is called "if you were gay" by avenue Q it's hilarious! And I can recite it from memory. **

_**Lupe: We are both sorry for the long wait, and hope this is suffice. Ignore Bridget's down grading comments, help boost her confidence by reviewing and saying that the fluff was good. Which it was! Thanks and keep Reiding/Reviewing/Writing! :D**_


	11. Happy Endings

**Me: Hey guys… *nervous cough* wow it's been a while since I've uploaded hasn't it?**

**Lupe: I don't mind! At least I don't have to keep up with you! **

**Zuko: I'm not talking to you…**

**Me: Well… um… you see… I really don't have an excuse.**

**Zuko: Lupe, please inform Bridget that she's an idiot and that she's lazy!**

**Lupe: Okay, Bridget Zuko thinks-**

**Me: I HEARD HIM!**

**Zuko: Please tell her that if she's gonna sneak behind my back with that CASTIEL! Then she can go suffer.**

**Me: Don't bring Cas into this! :( **

**Lupe: Wait whose Castiel? **

**Me: An angel *lovestruck***

**Zuko: He's from that damn show Supernatural.**

**Me: Ahhhhh *swoon***

**Lupe: Oh my God. **

**Zuko: Tell me about it! **

**Me:….**

**Zuko: Heeeellllluuuuuu?**

**Lupe: Heelooo? Are you there?**

**Me:…**

**Zuko: Are you still there?**

**Me: What? I'm watching an interview!**

**Zuko: What kind of interview?**

**Me:… Supernatural….**

**Zuko: *rage!* *kills bridget!***

**Random person: OMG THEY KILLED BRIDGET!**

**Lupe: THOSE BASTARDS!**

* * *

_**This is the way you left me,  
I'm not pretending.  
No hope, no love, no glory,  
No Happy Ending.**_

**Happy Ending- Mika**

* * *

Happy Ending – Chapter 11

Zuko and Katara looked at each other and then back to the woman. They didn't speak until Katara whispered, horrified. "Who are you?"

The woman still ignored Katara though the men behind her shuffled around in anger or discomfort. The woman maintained her bow, though stiffened in shock, as if she couldn't believe that the insignificant young woman would dare speak to her.

Zuko was trapped in his mind thinking through all the faces of the Fire Nation nobility, they were the only people who had seen him enough times and close enough to recognize him even without his scar. He was sure he had never seen this woman before even in passing. How could she have recognized him so easily, she couldn't have, all his public appearances were made in his full Fire Lord costume and this woman was defiantly not one of the people he was socially involved with. She couldn't be a servant because he knew all of them by sight, if not by name. The only solution is that she could not have recognized him with his disguise in place. He began to laugh breaking the silence.

The woman looked up from the bow with a quizzical look on her face. "My lord? What is so funny about this situation?"

"Yeah, what's so funny about this?" Katara hissed out of the corner of her mouth, but Zuko kept laughing. He squeezed Katara's hand hoping she would get the message.

"You think I'm the Fire Lord?" He asked in lighthearted tones. "Really? Isn't he supposed to be in the Fire Nation? I haven't been there for three years!"

"Fire Lord, if you are to fight on my side then you must know I don't take jokes lightly. Since you don't know I will let you off with a warning." She said in a patronizing tone, which instantly annoyed Zuko.

"I've already told you, I'm not the Fire Lord." This was different from the last time he denied her; he was forceful and flashed his swords dangerously.

The woman sighed, "Maybe we should start over. My name is Li Fay. I am leading this operation, and you, despite who you may have disguised yourself as, are Fire Lord Zuko."

"Look, I don't know what your childhood trauma is but we really don't want you to get mixed up with this, why don't you just let us walk out and we'll forget we've ever-" That is as far as Katara got to reasoning with Li Fay before she was cut off by a fire blast from behind her.

Katara fell and got up growling her water whip at the ready and struck out against the man. Li Fay took no notice of this except to call. "Fire Lord, control your girl friend or she will be harmed. We have no trouble in doing this you must understand."

Zuko hesitated before calling "Katara," She looked back at him, water held aloft ready to strike. "Please, come here." He hoped that she could see what he was trying to tell her, _we'll fight later_.

She glared at him and then she saw the signal. Her eyes widened in enlightenment and slowly dropped the water to the ally street. She inched slowly towards Zuko never letting her eyes to drop from the man she was fighting. Once she gotten within his reaches, Zuko grabbed her hands and squeezed them.

"Very good, I'm glad you are not so noble as to not take orders." Li Fay said. Zuko shrugged.

"I lived as a peasant for a year before being Fire Lord. I learned how to do a lot of things." He replied coolly. "Now can you tell us what we're doing here?"

"Let us start from the beginning and that coincides with your crowning,

"As you were giving that speech to the Fire Nation and its hostiles, I saw the message in your eyes. I saw what you could not express with words, as all great leaders can with one another. I saw the true story, how you were forced by the Avatar to defeat your sister, which was probably the only good thing that came of the coup. We could not have an insane leader when we needed to stage a second war. We needed someone smart, and calculating, and ruthless. We needed your father Fire Lord. But then he had his bending taken away by the Avatar. Regrettable, but not relevant to my plan. We still had you, you see? And as soon as I saw your message in your eyes I knew. You were better than your father, you were cunning enough to deceive the Avatar."

"So I came here. I started waging my own war waiting for you to join me. I started taking over this town, I started destroying crops, and I bided my time with small threats such as these until you came. I knew you would join me, and our cause. Our cause? You may ask. Our cause is to finish what your father started. Colonize the Earth kingdom into the new Fire Nation, destroy all Earth Benders, Water benders, and theAir Bender**s**, except for those of whom who are loyal to us. Like your friend here, Katara, that's what you called her in the shop. I know you Katara, you are a master Water bender, you were instrumental to the fall of Azula, but you helped the Avatar, you were one of his greatest allies in the war against us. I will let the Fire Lord decide whether your offences are too great to let you live. "

"Fire Lord I appreciate the pressure you're under but you must understand, I have fought this war on my own for 15 long months, and now you come as an ally to assist me. We need to make your presence here known, let the citizens of the Earth Kingdom tremble before us. We are to light the town on fire, and watch it burn to hell. Tonight. What do you say? Will you join us?"

Zuko and Katara looked at each other, both complete shock mirroring each other in their faces. Then they looked back to Li Fay and then back to each other. Zuko eyed each of the men surrounding them. "What's the chance of breaking out of here?" Zuko hissed in Katara's ear

"On my own? Slim." Katara replied in an equally quiet voice.

"Okay." Zuko shrugged in a normal tone. And shot fire in a circle surrounding them and push outwards towards Li Fay and her soldiers. Katara summoned her water around her arms and Zuko parted his wall of fire. Katara jumped through the space and whipped her water at the men blocking the way out of the alley. They didn't know what hit them.

Zuko held his fire out in front of him until Katara was clear and then backed out slowly of the ring of fire. "Hurry up!" Katara yelled anxiously. Zuko closed the fire with a final push outwards and ran.

Katara and him high tailed it, pushing through the crowd with a frenzy. "What inn were we meeting Aang and them at?" Zuko asked Katara checking behind him for a brief second. He could see someone else pushing through the crowd. "Keep going!"

"Down here, first we need to shake the crazy bitch." Katara puffed. "Any ideas?"

"A few, follow me!" He shouldered past a two women who shouted curses after him and they plunged into the hustle and bustle of the market. Stalls lined every inch of the street and each one selling a different type of crop, or pastry, or even toy. Zuko pushed his way through and Katara kept close behind him. "Quick under here!" They both ducked under a meat stall, the woman tending it jumped.

"What the hell are you kids doing?" The woman screeched. Katara and Zuko both made shushing noises and begged the woman to keep quiet. She looked up and her face paled. She instantly put on a nervous smile.

"Hello, would you be interested in some cow-pig today?" She asked in a formal stiff voice.

"No, have you seen two kids run by here?" Li Fay asked in a smooth voice. Zuko's clumsy hand found Katara's and squeezed. The woman shook her head silently. They heard a sigh and the woman's shoulders slumped.

"Thank you so much!" Katara said in a rush. She kneeledbeside the cart and the woman just nodded. Zuko kept starring at her.

"I've seen you before." Zuko said as he frowned at the woman. She looked different; her hair was not as sloppy but with more gray hair. She looked like she was in better clothes also, different from the loose farm clothes she wore when he saw her. There were more wrinkles lining her face but she looked happier than the last time he had seen her.

"No, you haven't and I don't know-" She started trying to sound tough but like last time she faltered. She faltered because Lee, her son ran up.

"MOM!" He shouted. "Mom! That lady came by and you told me to come find you whenever she was nearby!" Zuko smiled. Katara was just confused.

"Lee!" Zuko said. "Do you recognize me?" Katara grabbed his arm.

"Let's just go." She begged. He looked back at her and deliberated for a second. Then shook his head.

"Just hold on a minute." He begged, she had on a disapproving look. "Please."

"Fine. A minute, we need to go." She snapped. He gave a smile and turned back to Lee and his mother. Lee gasped.

"…Fire-" He started but Zuko covered his mouth before he could say anymore.

"Glad to see you too, but please don't use that name around me." He whispered. "Would you mind giving my friends and me a place to stay for the night?" He asked Lee's mother.

"If it bugs that evil bi-" She looked at Lee "lady, then you're welcome to stay as long as you want."

"Thank you, we have more friends at a hotel down the street, we need to get them first, we'll meet you back here." Zuko said and the woman nodded. Lee looked at him in awe, but as soon as Zuko returned the gaze he averted his eyes.

"Come on Katara." Zuko said taking her hands and leading her into the throng. "Try to blend in."

"Who are those people?" She asked tired of being confused.

"I met them when I went on my own after the attack on the North Pole and I kind of… screwed up. Well long story short Lee got in some trouble with a few soldiers and I got him out of it, in a very fiery display. Not one of my better works." Zuko bit his lip and looked down at Katara for her approval or (more-likely) look of shame.

Katara just rolled her eyes. "You always used to screw up like that." She said indifferently. Zuko gave a half smile.

"Thanks," He muttered sarcastically.

"Are they good people?" She asked ignoring his comment.

"They are smart, reasonable people. Their son Lu-Ten was off fighting in the war when I met them and I looked up his name when I became Fire Lord. He was with the first ship of prisoners to be sent back to their homes. Lee wanted to be just like him." Zuko recounted wistfully. He wanted Lee to have the family he could never have.

"You really liked them didn't you?" She asked quietly, keeping her head on a swivel looking for any sign of Li-Fay or any of her ilk."Yeah, the inn will be just up here." Zuko said jerking his chin in the general direction. They walked the remainder in silence both watching out for trouble. When they went in, Aang, Sokka and Toph were all sitting down at a table. Sokka looked glum but Toph and Aang looked especially happy.

"Oh hey." Aang said looking up, all of them turned around. Once they had caught sight of Katara's and Zuko's faces they knew something was wrong.

"What happened?" Sokka asked.

"Bad things, very bad things." Katara said. "We need to go."

"Go where?" Toph asked. "What happened?"

"I know some people who owe me a favor they're letting us stay there while we get this whole mess sorted out." Zuko replied cryptically.

"What. Mess." Aang spoke through gritted teeth.

"We'll explain on the way." Katara said. She met each of their eyes. "Come on."

Sokka sighed. "How come when we think we can finally relax something else happens?"

Katara and Zuko shrugged. "Our good luck ran out?"

Aang laughed dryly. "What are you talking about, we never had luck." Sokka nodded along concluding this was a point.

"But still the lady who's chasing us is crazy we need to get out of here." Katara said.

"Just one person?" Toph asked a little skeptically. "You two are masters of your element and you-" She pointed to Zuko. "Have your swords. And you still are running from just one woman?"

"Yeah, only her and her whole network trying to take over the town and burn it to the ground, not to mention her freaky dream in which she basically rules over me and I become her bitch." Zuko hissed.

They all looked at him and Katara for a second and then Sokka said. "We'll leave…"

"Good, now come on we wasted enough time as it is." Zuko said forcefully. They swiftly walked out and met Lee and his mother speeding in their direction.

"There you are. I'm Lee." Lee said very nervous and excited at the same time. He looked at all of them his eyes fell on Toph. "Are you really blind?"

"Yeah, but she can still see you." Aang said putting on a scary smile. Lee went white and gulped. Toph's lips twitched into a smile.

"Lee enough!" His mother said. "I'm Hiriba. We need to get out of here." They all nodded and Hiriba started leading them on.

Once they got out of the village Aang blurt out, "Who is the woman who is chasing us? Doesn't she know the war is over?"

"Li Fay had been trying to lead this cult long before the war ended." Hiriba explained. "She would stand on a box and preach the new laws and the old laws that reinforce our miserable lives. When you declared the war was over she disappeared and all the towns' people were relived. We had heard her exploit our captivity under Ozai's rule and no one was sad to see her go. That night the first house went up in flames."

"We thought it was just an accident at first until we found the note nailed to the shop of the family whose house was destroyed. It was a warning to anyone who dared oppose the glory of the Fire Nation and that, until we declare ourselves a Fire Nation Colony again they would burn another house. We opposed for about a week then the attacks became more brutal the last of which was they hung a doll on the door of their shop. The family had a little girl." She looked down at her feet for a second, mourning.

"We officially became a Fire Nation colony after that and the attacks stopped for a while. We were deliberating how to handle the situation. We were thought that sending a messenger with a plea for help would be the best but our plan was found out. Li Fay and her cronies took the messenger to the middle of the town square in the middle of the day and burned him alive." She choked on the last words.

"They said that the town was under her regime now and we have been quarantined, not in the way that no one could come in or out it was that none of the towns' people could leave, or speak to any strangers. Those who tried or who were suspected of were killed."

Zuko listened to what she was saying with a heavy heart. Somehow he blamed himself. He should have been more attentive in external matters, he should have been proactive, and he should have somehow foreseen this happening and prevented it.

Katara watched him with worried eyes as she saw him spiral into guilt that he had no right to feel. She reached for his hand and he gently pulled it away asking "Can I have some water to wash this paint off?" She sighed and tried not let the hurt reach her face as she bended some into his cupped hands.

"Can you really fly?" Lee asked Aang, breaking the gloomy silence. The Avatar gave a small smile.

"Yeah, and I can do this!" He made his air scooter and jumped on it grinning brightly. Lee laughed and tried to break the sphere while Aang evaded. They laughed while the rest of the party morosely thought of how bad this had become. It was obvious that they couldn't leave the town to fend for themselves but everyone was lost on how to go about removing Li Fay and her troops.

"Mom?" Someone called from in the distance. "Lee?" A man came running up the path a knife was strapped to his hip and he warily placed his right hand on it. His left one was missing.

"Sensu, we have guests." Hiriba said simply. "This is The Avatar, Toph, Sokka, Katara and-"

"Fire Lord Zuko." Sensu said a bit in awe, which made Zuko feel worse. He should not be idolized; his missing hand was enough proof of that. "Thank you, I never got the chance to do it in person. Thank you for releasing me back to my family." Sensu bowed and Zuko looked away uncomfortable.

"It was nothing." He stated simply and Sensu tactfully chose to move on seeing his uneasiness.

"Well hello, welcome to our humble farm." He gestured down the road where you could already hear the squealing of cow-pigs. "It's an honor to have you here." He smiled and led them on talking casually to his mother and Lee.

"Thank you for letting us stay here." Aang said, Sensu nodded back and Toph sidled up to Aang and talked to him quietly for a bit. Katara caught up to Sokka and whispered.

"What are we going to do?"

"Well I was thinking we were going to rest but whatever you want to do I'm up for it." Sokka answered avoiding the real question.

"You know what I mean." She huffed.

"I don't know, this isn't something we can just blow off but we only have one chance to do it right, if we do it wrong the whole town will get destroyed. We need a plan." Sokka concluded.

"I don't know how we're going to find them again, I mean Li Fay just kind of cornered me and Zuko. We had no idea where she came from." Katara admitted.

"Well were going to have to think of something." Sokka sighed.

"What happened to the man-with-the-plan?" Katara said teasingly. Sokka grinned back.

"He needs food for fuel at the moment. We skipped lunch remember." He said. Katara laughed.

They reached the farm soon after the siblings' conversation and they were told that they could stay in the barn. Zuko instantly went to a corner and closed his eyes pretending to sleep. Katara watched with empathy for her boyfriend, but grief and worry for his self blame overwhelmed her.

It would be a long night.

* * *

**Well hello there! Sorry it's been so long I'm sorry! And I hate to give you this crap but it's really the best I can do(LIE!) And it's true I really am watching a Misha Collins interview right now… (I'm guilty…) And I PROMISE! Next chapter will be fluffy! And scary and awesome! :) I really hope at least.**

**In other news I am really kind of proud of my best friend! She made varsity soccer as a freshman (I may be a freshman I may not be don't ask) and they made it to playoffs! And they just won their third playoff game! I'm very proud! :D **

**Now for something completely different! If any of you have ever seen the show supernatural it's amazing! :D And it truly is awesome! Now, if you've had enough of my horribleness for a chapter *blushes* Again I'm sorry!**

**Lupe: I also apologize it was also my fault for the chapter being late. I was busy with homework and my own writing and well a lot of things. Enjoy and keep Reiding (If you understand this put it in your review ;))**


	12. Map Of The Problematique

**Me: Hi!**

**Zuko: You're such a freak.**

**Lupe: Hello!**

**Zuko: Just shut up.**

**Me/ Lupe: *looks at each other***

**Zuko: Just GTFO!**

**Me: Someone's on their man-period!**

**Lupe: No kidding**

**Zuko: STFU!**

**Me: Do you even know what that means?**

**Zuko: HELLZ TO THE MOTHEREFF YEAH I DO!**

**Lupe: I'm scared….**

**Me: Are you on crack or something?**

**Zuko: NO! NOW GET OUT OF MY LIFE!**

**Me: Zu-zu do you want to talk about it?**

**Lupe: Yeah, come on…**

**Zuko: Its… just… **

**Me: YES?**

**Lupe: YES?**

**Zuko: I'm pregnant…**

**Me/Lupe: WHHHHHAAAAAAAAA?**

**Zuko: And Bridget… it's yours…**

**Me: WHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA… BUT BUT THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!**

**Zuko: It's true…**

**Me: No it's really impossible! Not that I wouldn't like to have sex with you it's just that… men can't get pregnant…**

**Lupe: Wait… you want to have sex with Zuko?**

**Me: O.O Did I just say that?**

**Zuko: O.M.G. I can't believe it…**

**Me: Well… I got to go feed the elephants…**

**Zuko: Oh alright…**

**Me: *leaves***

**Lupe: Wait… she doesn't have an elephant…**

**Zuko: I don't have a baby either…**

**Lupe: WHY DOES EVERYONE LIE TO ME!**

* * *

_**I want to be free  
From desolation and despair  
And I feel  
Like everything I saw  
Is being swept away  
When I refuse to let you go**_

Chapter 12 – Map of the Problematique

* * *

The stars twinkled above the farm house with a brilliancy that would make anyone look up to the heavens in awe. But no one that night was particularly interested in the stars because in the farm house there was planning to be done.

"I told you, we should lay in wait! We would have the element of surprise on our hands and the ability to study Li Fay's ways before we decide to attack. You know 'Know your enemy better than yourself'." Aang proposed. Sokka frowned down at his friend.

"You would have to fight her on territory she's familiar with, if we draw her out we can pick the tempo, and the battle grounds. We would have all the advantages." Sokka sighed as he repeated his idea for the fifth time.

"Snoozles don't you have anything creative in your head. This Li Fay wouldn't be stupid enough to fall into a trap like that!" Toph argued in defense of her boyfriends plan.

"Exactly." Aang nodded flashing a smug smile.

They were all sitting around an improvised hay bale table except for Zuko who had slowly moved out of the group as they had began to talk offering little to the conversation and barley even attempting to give voice to any opinion.. Katara looked on worried as he began to doodle morosely in the dusty straw covered floors.

"We have _you _and masters of all the elements, and not to mention my boomerang. We can take a small army if we had the right conditions." Sokka replied.

"We can _choose _our own surroundings if we lure Li Fay to the spot of our choosing. We can make it the ideal conditions to take on a small army. We can set up traps, we can lay down barriers."

"When did you get so good at battle strategies? Aren't you supposed to be the peace-loving monk?" Sokka asked a little sharp.

"I just know, maybe I took a little more than just Ozai's bending when I defeated him." Aang said without thought, and instinctively Katara's eyes zapped to Zuko to see his reaction. He didn't change. He just kept tracing his fingers around in the dirt.

"Well, why don't you use your super powers to know that my way is the best way to go?" Sokka muttered a bit coldly.

"Because you're wrong." Aang replied. Sokka stood up suddenly.

"Let's all just calm down a notch," Katara said laying a pacifying hand on her brother's shoulder. Sokka sat down pouting. Aang kept his mouth in a thin line with anger. "Okay? Just all calm. How about we get some rest, take some time off. We can talk again in the morning."

Sokka walked off in the opposite direction as Aang, who stood up slowly, carefully and rolled his eyes. Toph sighed and just laid down right on top of their "table". Zuko got up and trudged off into a corner, Katara followed.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Zuko looked up at her then cast his gaze downward.

"If I told you nothing would you believe me?" He said with dark humor. Katara didn't laugh. "Did you see Sensu today, missing a hand? It was my entire fault, why Li Fay hurt all those people, my fault."

Katara slid down beside him. "Listen to me, none of it was your fault, you didn't cut off Sensu's hand, you didn't turn Li Fay into a psychopath, and you certainly didn't kill those people."

"If I could have been more decisive, been more right. I screwed up horribly and I had no idea the repercussions of my actions." He put his head in his hands again.

"You had no idea at the time you were just following your gut. Doing what you thought was right." Katara reasoned. Zuko looked up at her not believing. "Listen, I need you to think about what you're saying. You need to stop beating yourself up about this, and do you know why?"

"No," Zuko replied a bit curious as to where this was leading.

"Because it's not your fault!" She finished softly but forcefully. He averted his eyes and she gently pressed her palm to his cheek turning his head to meet hers.

"It is," He murmured.

"No, it isn't because if it was your fault you would be out there burning houses and you're in here with me, feeling guilty for something you have no right to feel guilty about."

Zuko chewed over this piece of news and then gave a small smile. "Thank you, you truly don't know what you mean to me. If only I could tell you." He leaned in and rested his head on her forehead.

"It was my pleasure, I can't watch you suffer." Katara whispered. Zuko tilted his head so that his lips brushed hers. Katara gave a small tiny smile and leaned up again. Their lips locked.

Zuko's gentle hands brushed against her hair, her face, her cheeks, light as feathers, tracing swirling patterns onto her skin. Her nerves tingled under his airbrush touches. She shivered, and leaned into him. Her nails ran carelessly across his exposed arm.

This moment was so utterly perfect that Zuko wished he could just pause it and hold his beautiful girl in his arms forever. There were no other words to describe her except for perfect. Not perfect as in the sense that she had now flaws, just in the sense that those flaws added to her character, her pristine, just her. She was lovely and wonderful and… he could not find the words to describe her. He was drunk on the euphoria that was Katara. He was taken by her tenderness and her passion.

Yet for as wonderful as a fantasy that was that moment, it could not last. Something odd had caught his memory. Nights sleeping by the fire with Uncle Iroh and by himself a particular smell… He didn't know where those thoughts came from but he pulled away all the same. Katara glanced up at him through her lashes

"What is it?" She asked, timidly. She thought she had done something to upset him, though she couldn't think of what.

"Do you smell something?" Zuko questioned his brow furrowing. She cocked her head and sniffed once. Then blinked as she caught the unfamiliar smell, same as him.

"Smells like, sitting around the fire with Aang and Sokka and Toph, back during the war it's-" Zuko reached the conclusion at the same time she did.

"Smoke." They said in unison.

Zuko flashed to his feet. Reaching for the swords that were not there. "Dammit!" He swore, spinning around looking for the blades. Li Fay was burning something tonight. She must have tracked them from the market. She must have known, and now she was coming.

Katara checked her water pouch and then pointed Zuko in the direction of his weapons. She made her rounds waking everyone up as fast as possible, all the while the smell of smoke getting heavier and heavier around them.

They all ran outside and the air was hazy, thick and dark gray. "Aang can you get us some clean air?" Sokka asked holding and his elbow in front of his nose and mouth, eyes streaming.

Aang pushed the smoke out wards and they moved on towards the house, where the fire was coming from, but when Aang's air revealed the house it was intact, Sensu had Lee tossed over his back, Hiriba and her husband were still coughing.

"Where's the smoke coming from?" Aang asked, and Sensu grimly pointed with his stump of a hand towards their fields and their cow-pigpens.

Sure enough through the haze there was a wave of flame and dark figures walking in front of it setting anything in their way on fire to join the blaze. Zuko glared and quietly cursed. "Son-of-a-bitch."

Toph on the other hand wasn't so poetic. She started screaming obscenities at them insulting their sorry existence and how easily she could take them on. One of the soldiers fired a blast of flame at them but Toph blocked it with a wall of earth.

Aang whipped a tornado in return to clear their path and they charged.

Katara whipped the closest man across the chest hard enough to cut through his clothes and skin. He fired a blast in return but she doused it with the water she had. The man laughed. "Sorry, but you're useless here. No water no moisture, just fire." He gloated rising into his stance for the final blow, he didn't get that far. Katara pulled the sweat from both their bodies and slammed it into him, sending him into the inferno he started. "Obviously you've underestimated me." She whispered to him.

It was hard to tell who was winning and who was losing at certain points. At first Aang and company had the momentum, but then size and numbers of Li Fay's troops caught back control. If it were a normal, fair, even battle than they would have won it for sure, but since the troops far our numbered them, kept the fire burning all around them, and could fight each person with three or four people at a time the Gaang had a pretty tough time keeping up.

Aang was whipping a mixture of air and earth, trying to advance on the two soldiers he was fighting. The only problem was that one of their companions would intervene before he could get actually hurt them and the cycle would continue.

Toph was in her rock suit shooting the rocks around her hand at her opponents in much the same way as the Di Li had to them before. This worked very effectively and could have been a major advantage except for she had to keep saving Katara who, despite having such bravado in the beginning was waning now

The fire had taken its toll and evaporated all the water around Katara. Her mouth was dry, the sweat that had once poured down everyone's bodies was gone, burned away by the heat, even the air was arid, it was all she could do to keep from being killed. She threw rocks and scrapped her way through the fight, but without a weapon, she was near useless.

Zuko how ever was thriving. It was amazing to see how the heat and burning invigorated him while all of his friends were suffering, but he too was struggling. He needed to keep the fire around them from creeping any further and try to keep the other soldiers from starting any more fires. It took all of his brain power to keep track of it all. That coupled with the dehydration the fire was sapping out of him, he felt a headache coming on.

Sokka ironically was probably doing the best of all of them, for the same reason you would expect him to be doing the worse. He didn't have an ounce of bending ability in him. While his friends knew he had other talents like using his sword and boomerang, his enemies thought he was nothing more than a trifle, and by the time they found out he was a threat it was too late. Sokka cut through all the soldiers in his way and went directly for Li Fay. She was too busy to notice him approaching choosing to focus on the battle between Zuko and her troops.

She didn't even acknowledge Sokka until he was right behind her she glanced over her shoulder and jumped. Sokka sprung at her, his sword aiming for her body but she was too fast. Li Fay danced out of the way and Sokka spun around with her, Li Fay drew a sword from fire and grinned wickedly.

"Come and get me." She said flicking the sword letting the flames ripple up the blade. It would have been intimidating if it was anyone but Sokka. He laughed.

"Seen it before. You think you're special because you can do that?" He taunted. Li Fay's smile faded and she attacked. Sokka blocked the attacks working only on the defensive. His sword started to heat up and smoke from the repeated touches with the flames.

She pushed him further back and back with her attacks. She wasn't playing fair either; sometimes she would throw in a punch or kick that would give her the upper hand for a second while Sokka dodged.

Li Fay suddenly, after one of the punches, chopped downward towards Sokka's body. He threw himself sideways but the blade caught him on the arm, burning the skin. Sokka yelped and grabbed his burn.

Li Fay relaxed for a second watching him wince and hurt. "Foolish boy, I can take you apart with one blow." She raised her sword and Sokka looked up.

"I can take you apart with less than that…" He said and drove the sword into her stomach.

She looked down at the metal protruding from her flesh and the red ring around it. Then back to Sokka who was standing up still clutching his arm. "Well that's not technically true, but still it sounds cool." Sokka revised. Li Fay's eyes were flickering, she adopted a far off look and blinked hazily.

"I don't want to go." She said her eyes filling with tears. She closed them moisture spilling over and did not move again. Sokka looked down at his handy work. He didn't feel anything, which scared him. He had just killed another human being… why wasn't he feeling anything? It was because he had a job to do.

He pulled his sword from Li Fay's body and raised it in the air. "LI FAY IS DEAD, LAY DOWN YOUR WEAPONS!" He shouted. Everyone froze. Li Fay's soldiers gazed at their fallen leader. His friends' faces held a mixture of shock and relief.

Surprisingly Li Fay's soldiers dropped whatever they were holding. Their mouths agape. Toph quickly buried the weapons underground with a stomp of her foot. Zuko and Aang extinguished the fire and Katara went around taking weapons concealed on the soldiers and binding their hands together with their own belts.

Sensu and his family joined them; they had been trying to save their possessions from their house. Lee was sent back to fetch water for Katara to use for healing. Sensu watched Li Fay from a distance. Then spat in the direction as her body.

He then turned to the rest of the prisoners. "What are we to do about them?" He asked. Aang, walking up to join them, shrugged.

"They are technically your town's prisoners, you are free to do with them how you want." He said,

"They will hang for this." He muttered darkly. Aang bowed his head in sadness

"Please, I don't think killing these people should be the answer –" Sensu cut him off.

"Your friend here just killed somebody and yet you don't seem to be upset at him. These men deserve to die! They helped murder our neighbors." Sensu argued.

Aang glanced sadly at Sokka who looked apologetic. "I can't bring people back from the dead, but no one deserves to die, no matter what they did."

Sensu rolled his eyes, but his mother nodded. "I understand." She said calmly.

"Thank you," Aang said. He glanced back at the corps, he bended a hole next to it and raised the body into it. Ending the matter

Lee came back with the water and Katara gratefully bended it around her, letting it envelope her hands and called Sokka over.

He peeled back his hand from his burn and Katara rested her hands on top of it. "You did a good thing." She said.

"Katara, I killed a person, and you call that a good thing." Sokka said sullenly. He met his sister's eyes and she gave him a pitting look.

"You save many lives in the process." Katara said. Sokka watched his arm heal.

"I took a human life and I don't feel anything…" Sokka admitted morosely.

"It just hasn't hit you yet but you just need to remember one thing Sokka." She said.

"What is it?" He asked. He didn't want to hear how he it was necessary, or that he didn't have a choice.

"I'm proud of you." She said and Sokka gave a tight smile, and hugged her.

"Thank you." Sokka said a sad slow smile spreading over his face.

Katara straightened herself, patted his head, and left Sokka to think.

* * *

The next morning they woke early and left soon after sunrise. Sensu had come to see them off.

"Thank you again Avatar, and Sokka." He said bowing to them. "I hope you all the best of luck with your journey."

"Thanks, and please take my advice." Aang replied, and they were off.

Aang seemed a little bothered and lagging behind the group. Toph waited to catch up with him.

"What's bothering you?" She asked, falling in step with him. This is where she envied seeing people. She could sense his heart beat and how fast he walked but she couldn't look him in the face and see the problem.

"Just something Zuko said Li Fay told him." Zuko had recalled the details to Aang about their encounter with her on the way back from the hotel when they were going to meet up with Hiriba.

"What is it?" Toph asked intrigued. She thought that the Li Fay incident was put behind them when Aang buried the body.

"She said to Zuko that she would kill all the Waterbenders, Earthbenders and Airbenders not loyal to her." Aang relayed.

"Yes and?" Toph asked not seeing the connection.

"She said Airbender_s_With an "s" not Airbender, or Avatar. She could have met other Airbenders. More of my kind."

* * *

**Hello! Okay just too clear something up the above feeling of Sokka dealing with death IS NOT SYMBOLISM FO****R OSAMA BIN LADEN! I refuse to publicly and anonymously report my political feelings. It is an allusion to Criminal Minds, which I did to make a joke to my beta. Don't take it literally bro!**

**Speaking of Criminal Minds… WHY YOU NO COME ON AT DIFFERENT TIME! I've missed practically all your new episodes because of soccer! And my own forgetfulness… BUT MOSTLY SOCCER!**

**And my other show, Supernatural is coming to a close in two weeks, and there's a rumor going around that my favorite character might be killed off….. O.O if he dies (again) I will cry… it's kind of the equivalent to Toph getting killed. IT JUST SHOULDN'T HAPPEN! **

**So now that my ranting is out of the way I wish everyone a very good week and I thank everyone who reviewed/alerted/favorited this story last chapter… that was a shitty chapter! **

**BTW: For all of your muse fans I will give you a prize… of something… if you can find the lyrics hidden in this chapter… *HINT* the original lyrics are not in English and they are not the song for the chapter! **

**PLEASE REVIEW :)**

**Lupe: Hello loyal readers! Thanks for taking the time to read and enjoy! This chapter has some very good fluff with Zuko/Katara that I enjoyed! Thanks Bridget for the CM reference, it made my day! I have a sleep study tomorrow, so wish me luck? Keep Reiding/ Writing/Reviewing!**


	13. Assassin

**Zuko: Hey… *holds up baseball bat***

**Lupe: Hello there… *holds up chain saw***

**Me: Guys… what's going on?**

**Lupe: Oh nothing… *comes closer***

**Zuko: Yeah… nothing at all…**

**Me: I don't know what you're talking about…**

**Lupe: You don't?**

**Zuko: Seriously?**

**Me: Uh… not really?**

**Zuko: Then you wouldn't know anything about… THIS! *pulls out paper***

**Me: Uh… it's paper…**

**Lupe: NOT JUST PAPER! A NEW STORY!**

**Me: Oh… oh shit…**

**Zuko: HOW CAN YOU CHEAT ON ME LIKE THIS?**

**Lupe: SERIOUSLY! **

**Zuko: YOU FILTHY WHORE!**

**Me: Boy, I will rip off your testicles don't you ever call me that :(**

**Lupe: Wow, that was a little harsh Zu-zu**

**Zuko: Wait… what were y'all talking about?**

**Lupe: Her new story…**

**Me: What were you talking about?**

**Zuko: ….. nothing…..**

**Me/Lupe: *shifts eyes***

* * *

_The time has come for you  
To shoot your leaders down  
Join forces underground_

_**Assassin, Muse**_

* * *

Chapter 13 – Assassin

Haku shut his eyes slowly, and cracked his knuckles. He stood still for a moment letting everything go calm, the birds started singing, the soft whistling of the wind rustled the tree leaves, and the gentle beams of sun dappled the path around him. Outwardly it was perfect.

Inside Haku's head it was a battleground.

Inside his mind's eye there were people all lined up in a row. There were men and women and even somewhere down the line there was a child. Haku was there staring down at the first man, a large ornate sword in his hand that flashed gold in the dying sun. The man looked up and opened his mouth, "No, I thought we were…" And as he was about to utter the dreaded words 'friends' when Haku's sword took its first toll.

He moved down the line listening to the last words of all his past missions. They all were cut off before they could finish, each and every time. Haku couldn't feel anything, not the blood that splattered his front nor the chill that came with taking a life. Haku marched down the line, he didn't hesitate nor was it like all the other times before when he had envisioned this. Except until the last person.

The Fire Lord looked up at him and didn't speak. He just stared into the eyes of Haku and was unafraid. He gave a cocky smile and Haku suddenly felt inferior. The Fire Lord began to rise and Haku fell to his knees. He was starting to panic, this had never happened before. A wave of emotions rose in him, the loss of his apprentice, and the panic of losing control.

Haku lost his grip on the sword and it went clanging to the ground. The Fire Lord bent down and picked it up, testing its grip and twirled the sword expertly. He raised it slowly and brought it so it touched Haku's neck.

Without saying a word he drew it back from his neck and winked. Haku had never felt fear like this, he couldn't even move it was so paralyzing. Haku watched the sword swing up in The Fire Lord's capable hands and felt his death approaching.

The blade came hissing through the air, so fast it seemed to blur as it raced towards Haku's neck. Even with it moving so fast it felt like an eternity before the blade touched his throat and he…

Haku's eyes jerked open to the beautiful world around him, and he took another deep breath as if to erase the bad memories of his hallucination. This had never happened to him before it was as if he was just too…

Emotional.

That was the word, the filthy little word. The one thing he trained and drilled into his apprentice. Emotions are weakness. Haku was not weak; he wouldn't allow himself to be anything else but strong.

Suddenly his mind was somewhere else, back at the large garden in the wilderness where Haku had raised his apprentice.

"_Master?" Tung asked. The boy had just been doing pushups on hot coals as to learn to focus his firebending skills, (to keep his hands from burning) and to build his muscles. This was very effective drill as that every time his muscle or brain relaxed he got burned. _

"_Yes?" He asked while he read a paper of no real importance. _

"_Why do you make me hurt?" He asked eyes watering. His hands were blistered and red. _

"_Because you need to be taught of pain." He said simply. Tung whipped his eyes and sniffed. Haku looked up and glared at his apprentice. Tung faltered. "Stop crying. Pain is as natural as life and death. And you are lucky I don't make you die to understand it."_

"_But don't you care, I mean I care if you get hurt but you don't if I do. Why don't you care?" Tung asked. _

"_Because feelings are weakness." He answered simply. "You aren't going to make me feel anything for you ever. And do you know why?" Tung started to cry even harder when he shook his head. _

"_Because I won't ever feel anything about anyone and neither should you." Haku said and Tung whipped his eyes. _

"_Okay." He said and nodded. _

How so ever wrong Haku was. He had gone against his own rules. He had let himself feel compassion and love for his apprentice and now that he was dead… it felt as if Haku had died himself.

Haku told himself to stop dwelling on the past and get on with his life. He lit a fire and put on a kettle for tea. He let his thoughts focus on the tea and not on his memories. The fire in his palm crackled and spit in response to his thoughts, but soon the flame ironed out and his mind was steady.

He put the tea in the kettle and watched the juice from the leaves mix with the water. It was pretty to watch it swirl with the currents of the heated water. The up and down rhythm of the extracts from the leaves eventually put him to sleep.

* * *

The next morning Haku woke up and immediately went to go check on The Fire Lord, leaving his forgotten tea. The Fire Lord was still in his camp sleeping when the Avatar gently nudged him with his foot. He blinked his eyes and yawned, and exchanged a few words with the Avatar and then got up and walked off into the woods.

Haku frowned. The Fire Lord had never done this before. He had always woken up and talked to the Water bender. This morning was different. Haku was not going to let an opportunity pass like this.

Haku followed silently and carefully, never leaving the Fire Lord out of his sight. The Fire Lord stomped on ignoring the world, which was proving to be a bad choice this morning.

The Fire Lord seemed to be in emotional distress. His hands were smoking and he kept tripping over minute things. He was muttering to himself and his face was contorted into a frown.

The Fire Lord stopped suddenly and fell to his knees beside the bank of a small stream on top of a grassy knoll. His hands caught fire and slowly started to burn the grass in controlled circles. Haku watched him try to regain his composure through the medial task. He quietly snuck out from behind and stood waiting for the Fire Lord to notice.

After a few minutes the Fire Lord turned around, saw Haku and froze. "Who are you?" He asked, shaken up.

"I am the man who is going to kill you." He answered simply then pulled out a long knife. The Fire Lord looked at it concerned and Haku knew why. Fire bending was directly linked to the emotions and if Haku was right the Fire Lord was emotionally compromised, so his Fire Bending would be compromised as well.

The Fire Lord shot a fire blast at Haku. Okay, maybe the Fire Lord wasn't as emotionally compromised as he had thought. Haku rushed him and blocked the blast. The Fire Lord whipped chains of fire around trying to catch Haku.

"Did you send that boy to kill me first?" The Fire Lord taunted. Haku glared at him.

"Do not speak of Tung." He growled. The Fire Lord laughed.

"He was pathetic, worthless, and you are no better." He cackled. Outside of Haku's delusions Zuko wondered what the man was yelling about.

"SHUT UP! YOU ARE NOT FIT TO SPEAK OF HIM!" Haku shouted. He threw his knife at The Fire Lord who dodged it gracefully and sent a wave of fire at his feet.

Haku flipped out of the way, landing awkwardly. "You have no reason to continue living, I killed your apprentice. You have broken your rules."

Haku snarled at The Fire Lord. "I haven't." Haku whispered and, sliding a knife from his boot, continued to attack. The Fire Lord kicked out and sent a flame shooting towards him, but Haku dodged. He managed to get a shot at the Fire Lord and sliced open his side.

"You think that can stop me?" The Fire Lord asked incredulously and threw Haku away. Then fell to his knees.

Zuko was in serious agony, the knife that the assassin had thought to only have grazed the skin cut deep into his flesh and scrapped along his ribs.

Haku had not realized his victory and rushed The Fire Lord screaming like a mad man, which he was. Suddenly a whip from the river cut Haku down. While he lie on the ground wondering what hit him the water dragged him slowly into the river, that had once been a small brook had grown into a gushing rapid. Haku as he was pushed down the river didn't think of his own safety, he thought of The Fire Lords' and how he, Haku, had failed.

When the river receded enough to allow for Haku to swim, he went to shore. Haku flopped on the grass and gasped for air. It was his fault that The Fire Lord had gotten away and it was taxing on his mind.

Haku pushed himself up and began walking trying to thrust the thought of his failure out of his mind. He was shaking from the aftermath of the adrenaline and the shock of the cold water. Haku was so lost in his thoughts that it didn't even register that he was being stared at. He kept raving like a mad person as a man carrying a basket of fish. They stared at each other.

"Are you in trouble Brother?" The man asked. Haku had a sudden inspiration.

"There's a boy he's hurt… you need to help him."Haku panted as if he had been running. The man dropped his basket.

"We need to get back to the village." The man sprinted off and Haku trudged back faking fatigue. The man seemed to skim over the ground and was quickly out of sight. Haku slowed down to a walk and strolled along in the general direction of the man. If he could get The Fire Lord in a controlled condition and within his easy reach Haku could finish his job like he was trained to do.

A straight knife to the back. The thought of the clean kill made Haku cackle to the sky.

* * *

**So I was recently informed that I have 5FREAKIN2 reviews! :D That has just made my day! Seriously y'all THANK YOU SO MUCH! :D And really this wouldn't be possible without your own reviews! :P**

**In other news the little diddly above was actually inspired by my rule that I don't work on a different story unless I have finished the current one (which would… as it happened this one!) but there was a story about supernatural pecking away at my brain… and really I didn't want to forget about it so… after 23 pages… I returned to this… and gave you a short chapter in return but I have high hopes for next chapter!**

**Anyway thank you so much for reading and I hope you like this chapter! :D Please review and I'll give you a cookie! **

**Lupe: I was the said informer of the "5FREAKIN2 reviews" that was stated above, while Bridget was on a vacation. Sorry for the long wait! Enjoy and review please! (Obviously they make somebody *cough cough* happy) **

**P.s. I want y'all all to go hug your betas… This chapter was edited in front of me and I was very astounded at how much stress one little chapter can cause. Especially when I usually type at midnight, and my sentences are crap (the excuse I used when Lupe and I got into an argument about possession and the correct placement of apostrophes and commas and in the end and… like always… she was right.) BTW to all you Beta's out there I want to give you a round of applause. **


	14. You Found Me

**Me: zzzZZZzzzZZZzzzZZZzzzZZZ**

**Lupe: Come on Bridget wake up wake up.**

**Zuko: I know how to wake her up…**

**Lupe: No we can't light her hair on fire.**

**Zuko: Damn…**

**Me: *snort* Uh… what time is it?**

**Lupe: I don't know late…**

**Zuko: Yeah can I leave?**

**Lupe: *glare* That's not very nice.**

**Zuko: Does it look like I care.**

**Me: Ugh why am I up so late?**

**Zuko: Cuz you have no life?**

**Lupe: You said it was because you write better when you're tired **

**Me: Oh… yeah… **

**Zuko: Seriously can I go home?**

**Me: What home? You're a figment of my imagination remember that?**

**Lupe: Well can I go home? **

**Me: Sure, whatever I don't care.**

**Zuko: Why does she get to go home?**

**Lupe: Cuz I have a home!**

**Zuko: That hurts…**

**Me: I need some tea…**

**Lupe: Well make some, goodnight!**

**Me: *looks at Zuko***

**Zuko: No.**

**Me: Pwease…**

**Zuko: Hell no**

**Me: *puppydog eyes***

**Zuko: ….. fine….**

**Me: Mint tea please. :)**

* * *

_The early morning, the city breaks  
And I've been calling for years and years and years and years  
And you never left me no messages  
You never sent me no letters  
You got some kind of nerve taking all I want!_

Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me

_You found me- The Fray_

* * *

Chapter 14- You Found Me

Katara rolled over and sighed. She was expecting the smoky smell of Zuko to fill her nostrils, but all she smelt was the earthy fragrance of dirt and opened her eyes only to see grass. She sat up and scanned around the clearing. Aang was tying a pack the bags and looked up as she moved.

"Good Morning." He said politely. Katara smiled at him.

"Morning." She replied, and then again looked around. "Where's Zuko?"

Aang shifted nervously and tried to avoid eye contact . "Um…"

"Please tell me Sokka hasn't killed him…" She begged. Aang gave a small smile at her joke before realizing she wasn't kidding.

"Uh… I don't think so." He stammered. Katara sighed, raised her arms above her head and cracked her fingers.

"Okay, where's Sokka?" She asked. Aang kept his face blank; Katara quirked her eyebrow at him. He then smiled and shook his head.

"Just messing with you, he's over by those trees." He pointed towards a patch of saplings. Katara smiled and rolled her eyes.

"You a major jerk sometimes." She laughed. Aang rolled his eyes in turn.

"But you love me." He laughed. Katara walked off grinning, but still concerned for her lost boyfriend. She ducked under low branches to find Sokka bending over tying a pack.

"You didn't kill Zuko did you?" She questioned. Sokka glanced up at her.

"No, but I wish." He said standing fully upright. "He went for a walk, seemed upset. You didn't break up with him or anything?"

Katara glared at her brother. "No I did not, which direction did he go?"

Sokka sighed and jerked a hand behind him. After Katara left he rolled his eyes and hissed a detailed curse about how the Bastard was corrupting his sister.

Katara frowned as she walked deeper into the woods, the sound of a babbling brook became clearer, along with the sound of ringing metal crashing against something. A rough voice screamed unintelligible phrases. She started to run.

She struggled around bushes and trees desperately trying to find the source of the noise, finally breaking through the brush just in time to see Zuko get stabbed. He clutched his side and sank to one knee. The man who he was battling muttered something and raised his knife. Katara panicked, neither of them had noticed her. Acting on pure instinct she snapped water at Zuko's attacker.

The attacker raised his head and saw her. The man was in worn out earth kingdom garb, black hair chopped short, his pale skin shone with perspiration. His eyes were red and irritated. The look on the man's face was unmistakable rage.

He raised his hands to attack but didn't get the time. Katara took control of the stream. She forced all the water in the river forward in one massive wave. The man looked towards the wave just in time to see himself get swept away by it.

Katara rushed to Zuko's side. "Lie down, slowly." She wrapped an arm around Zuko's shoulders and gently stretched him out flat. Zuko winced in pain and his hand was still on his side.

"Ow." He muttered. He took a shaky breath. Katara smoothed his hair out of his face.

"Can I look at it?" She asked gently tugging at his hand. He allowed her to take his hand off of the wound. The fabric around the gash was slowly turning dark red. Katara ripped the hole wider and exposed the cut. She pulled water from river and coated her hand.

She let the water start to glow before placing it on the wound. She felt the water go down into his rib bone fixing the scratch on the bone and working up. When she finished there was still a shallow slice but it wasn't going to kill him.

Zuko breathed deeply and coughed. "You're alright?" She asked lightly brushing the tips of her fingers across the scratch.

"Fine, now, thank you." He said and sat up. He pulled Katara into a tight embrace, whispering in her ear another phrase of gratitude.

She kissed his cheek and helped him up. Zuko got on his feet shakily, steadied by Katara's hand.

"Who was that man?" She asked.

Zuko panted. "I… really don't know…. but he seemed very familiar. I swear I've seen him before."

They both stared down stream for a minute thinking of what had just transpired. "Should we go after him?" Katara asked.

Zuko's eyes narrowed, eyebrows furrowed. "Yes, I think we should." He tried to walk stoically of in pursuit but gasped and faltered.

"Come on, you'd feel worse if the knife didn't hit your rib." Katara rolled her eyes and tugged on Zuko's arm.

"Easy for you to say." He muttered but got up and walked back towards their friends with a little support from Katara.

"What happened?" Katara asked as they marched to camp.

"I went walking and stopped at the river to drink. When I turned around he was there. I asked him who he was and he said he was the man who was here to kill me. Then he just attacked me. He started yelling things about how I shouldn't 'speak of him' and something about rules. That's about when you came in." Zuko related the information with an air of weariness.

"Who do you think he meant?" She asked. "The 'him' I mean."

"I don't know. He mentioned a name, Tung but I don't know anyone by that name." Zuko muttered thinking.

"What about that assassin your uncle was so worried about?" Katara asked after a minute of silence. Zuko glanced down at her.

"He's dead." Zuko muttered grimly.

"Yes I know but what if he had a partner or a spiteful student or something like that." She reasoned. Zuko frowned.

"This man was older than him… but what if your theory was right only backwards." He reasoned. "What if the student tried to off me first and now the teacher's coming after me with a vengeance."

They both looked at each other as the terrifying possibility dawned on them. "How could he know where we were though? I mean we took precautions, the only people who could have known were the crew on the ship and your uncle."

"That's not true." Zuko slid his hand down his face as if trying to wash away his stupidity. "I told my advisor Fong and I'm afraid a member of my council, Han might have over heard."

"I… don't know who these people are." Katara questioned. Zuko elaborated.

"Fong is a good friend; he's helped me solve many problems and is loyal… Han on the other hand…" Zuko trailed off. Out of all his council members he distrusted Han the most, but still it was a stretch to think that simply disliking someone could be justified cause to send an assassin after them. Then again Han had always hinted at how things were so much better when Zuko's father had been in charge. He had always thought that there was someone passing information to him in prison. This could be the missing link.

"What are you thinking about?" Katara asked. Zuko breathed a sigh of worry.

"I'm thinking we better get back to camp." He answered mysteriously.

Once they got back to the clearing they found everything packed up, Sokka leaning on a tree, Aang and Toph sitting on the ground in front of a weather-beaten, tanned older man. Both Zuko and Katara froze in fear.

"Hey Sweetness, Sparky." Toph called out nodding to them in turn, Aang and the man turned and they both gasped.

"It's you!" The man exclaimed. Zuko tried unsuccessfully to push Katara behind him, but she moved to quickly to stand in from of him and drew water from the pouch lying on the ground next to the packs.

"What do you mean?" She asked raising her water threateningly. The man raised his hands in a show of peace.

"I'm sorry to startle you Sister, there was a man who said I should come help a boy who had gotten injured by the stream." He explained. Katara didn't lower her water.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"Tamaki." The man answered calmly. "Yours?" He asked politely.

Katara looked him up and down before answering. "Katara." She dropped the water but let it swirl into her water skin. Ready for use.

"Pleasure, with your skills I see my assistance isn't needed." He nodded a greeting to Zuko who had put a hand on her shoulder.

"Where did you come from?" Zuko asked trying to keep edge of malice out of his tone.

"My people have a very remote village just up the mountain." Tamaki answered.

Zuko's eyes widened, he felt about on the verge to say something when Aang cut them off.

"How did you get hurt?" He asked, and Zuko recounted the tale of his attack to the party, Tamaki sighed.

"My thousand apologies that I let the assassin slip by me." He bent his head so the curly white hair was level with Zuko's eyes. "For my mistake, please allow me to take you to my village for rest and food. It is the least I can do."

Sokka pushed off his tree. "Perfect! Your apologies have been duly noted." Katara rolled her eyes at her brother's ability to abandon all reason with the mention of a meal.

The man bent down and retrieved a stick from the ground. "I'll lead the way." He offered then glanced at Katara who was still not looking a hundred percent in favor of the plan. "When you are ready."

"Of course." Aang said respectfully. They went around gathering packs and distributing them around. Zuko got a lighter one than normal and he looked at Katara shouldering his usual one. She gave a small smile with a secret meaning. 'Just go with it.'

"So, Aang, you have a very unusual walking staff and for someone so young." Tamaki commented as they started walking. Aang was up front beside the old man, Toph was behind them, walking side by side by with Sokka. Katara and Zuko brought up the rear.

"Oh… Well I'm the avatar." Aang admitted, smiling awkwardly. "I use it in my airbending."

"Oh my," Tamaki gasped. "You have returned? You have defeated the Firelord? Thank you." He again bowed his head.

"Well… it wasn't just me." Aang blushed. "They all helped too." He gestured back at the procession.

Tamaki looked back and eyed each one of them. He frowned as he locked eyes with Zuko. Then shook himself gently. "We are honored to have an airbender of your skill in our humble village tonight."

"It will be an honor by being there." Aang answered formally. Behind them Sokka made a face and looked to Toph for her reaction, which was none obviously.

They walked along in silence except for the obnoxious sound of twigs snapping underfoot, and the calls of birds and other animals.

"You have many tattoos for such a person of your age." Tamaki remarked. Aang turned his hands to see the backs of them as if he had forgotten the arrows were there.

"Oh I really don't remember getting them all that much, I was only eleven. All Airbenders have them." Aang said the last sentence in a self-pitying tone.

Tamaki chuckled. "That's right, the ancient Airbenders used to do that didn't they? Well we don't hold to the practice anymore."

The whole party stopped at the revelation. Everything from desperate and tearful hope (Aang) to shock and utter fear (Zuko) shown on their faces.

Tamaki frowned as if he was confused. "What is the problem?"

Aang felt tears well up in his eyes. "Ta-Tamaki, are-are-are- you an- Air-airbender?" He could barely get the words out because of his excitement. Tamaki frowned.

"Didn't you know?" He questioned he held his hand out and cupped a ball of air. Aang copied his action holding the ball next to Tamaki's.

"I- I- I didn't think any more Airbenders were still alive." Aang wiped away the tears in his eyes. "I mean I hoped there was still Airbenders but I couldn't know for sure, I mean no disrespect or anything but it just got a bit bleak not that- "

Tamaki laughed. "I understand Brother."

Toph felt her hand being taken and the familiar feel of Aang's palm against hers. She could practically feel him bouncing up and down in enthusiasm.

"Brother." Aang repeated, it sounded strange in his mouth. Though he liked it. It felt like he was home with his kind once again.

Aang watched all the casual use of airbending as a woman dried clothing with a gust she produced. Children were running around trying to hit each other with balls of air. A few of the children ran in front of the procession, then stopped and backed out of the way. Aang smiled and they shied away.

"This is amazing." Aang mused in awe.

"I'm glad you like it." Tamaki smiled down at him. "Your friend doesn't so much." He glanced back at Zuko who was trying to look at anything but his surroundings. Aang didn't look back.

"He's fine." He shrugged off Zuko's discomfort in way for his amazement. Tamaki eyed Zuko still thinking how familiar he looked. Tamaki would have been able to place his face if it wasn't marred by the scar.

"Alright." Tamaki said.

"How did you live her undiscovered throughout the war?" Toph asked.

"The Fire Nation wasn't concerned with places where there was thought not to be any settlements. We lived quite comfortably here, taking in the occasional lost traveler escaping the Fire Nation." Tamaki said. "Isn't that right Fire bender?"

Zuko looked up from where he was and met Tamaki's eyes with an awkward shift and a nervous swallow. "Yes."

He was waiting for someone to blame him, for what he didn't know they had a lot to chose from. His country destroying these people's culture, his country driving these people into hiding, the list goes on.

Tamaki went on talking about how the people of the village searched for places where they could be undisturbed. As he talked Zuko's guilt grew and grew until he was staring at his feet in shame, no one in the party noticed. Not even Katara who was too enthralled by Tamaki's story to notice her boyfriend's awkward shuffles.

"Where are we going?" Aang questioned excitedly.

"The village leader. He has led us since anyone can remember; he will want to speak to the Avatar if you don't mind taking a few minute out of your day." Tamaki said politely. "He will want to hear your story in full."

"Fine with me." Aang agreed readily. He followed Tamaki, taking in the extraordinary splendor of his people.

They trudged on the company talking animatedly about this wondrous new hope they had discovered except for Zuko, who was trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. The blatant disregard for his feelings made him a bit angry and hurt. He had been freaking stabbed today, he deserved some attention.

"Here we are." Tamaki said pulling back a curtain into a hut. The inside was smoky and hot. Tamaki held the cloth open for them and they all filed in, Zuko somewhat reluctant.

Once they got inside a man called out. "Please sit, sit." He gestured down ward. Aang sank to his knees, quickly.

"Hello, can I just say how amazing it is to be here?" Aang twittered. The man who he was addressing was dark and wrinkled as if he had excess amounts of sunlight in his youth. He had puffy gray eyebrows that made up for his lack of hair on his head. The eyes underneath the caterpillars of eyebrows were bright and wise, not unlike those of a father or even grandfather. He wore a thread bare robe of sorts that was brown like his skin.

"Hello young Brother." The man roughed out the words with a voice that was deep and gruff. "It's amazing to be here with the Avatar."

"Master Kyoya this is Aang, Toph, Sokka, Katara, and Zuko." Tamaki introduced them pointing them each out in turn.

"Pleasure to meet your acquaintance." Kyoya nodded to them all. "Let us hear your tale Aang, I am anxious to hear how the Fire Nation was finally defeated." The comment caused Zuko to shuffle awkwardly but again no one paid attention.

Aang recounted the tale of how Katara and Sokka had once found him in a block of ice up until he defeated the Firelord drawing on the others help in recalling details or what they were doing at the time.

"That is quite a tale for ones as young as you are." Kyoya replied. "Katara, Sokka you mentioned your mother was killed on a Fire Nation raid, my sympathy goes out to you." The two siblings nodded acknowledging the sympathy. "And Zuko I'm sorry that you were dealt such a bad parentage." Zuko looked up and then hastily dropped his eyes and nodded his thanks as well. "And you're searching for your mother you say?"

"Yes." He stated hastily not making eye contact.

"And all you know is that she's in the mountains?" Kyoya carried on.

"Yes." He repeated in the same tone of voice.

"Without success so far is that right?" The master said. Zuko only nodded this time.

"Her name was Ursa, am I correct?" Zuko's head snapped up his eyes narrowed and without realizing it fire danced at his finger tips.

"Yes how do you know that?" He asked his voice cracking with stress and excitement. This could finally be the moment where he is reunited with the only family that cares about him (besides his uncle). He could finally have a family back.

"Because I knew her very well once upon a time." Kyoya said and breathed a sigh of air out. "She used to live her in the village."

* * *

**If this was the TV show it would be a close up of Zuko's shock face right now but since it's not you can just imagine :)**

**The above A/n about me writing better when I'm tired is true I usually write at midnight or later and edit in the afternoon which is probably going to have to happen tomorrow since YouTube is calling to me… I'm ashamed… **

**So did anyone else see the Legend of Korra trailer? Cuz it was freaking awesome! Including her polar dog thingy… (which doesn't hold a candle to Appa [I LOVE YOU FUZZY BISON]) It actually reminds me of when I got bored in English my friend texted me "You know what would be funny? If Merlin (see my other story Necklace of Iridin) was riding Appa! ADVENTURE!" So I wrote about Merlin and his flying bison and the adventures he had… **

**You can tell by my ramble above that I'm extremely tired… I should really get some sleep… really…**

**Song describes Aang's feelings and HEY ITS NOT MUSE! OMG FINALLY! :P Just kidding I'm actually trying to find a muse song that would fit. **

**Well good night my favorite people in the whole world! *grabs screen close* especially those who review ;) **

**Thank you all my readers and reviewers I haven't been able to reply back to you idk why! But it is a problem I soon want fixed.**

**UPDATE!: So my beta decided to be funny and change the last paragraph and I decided to be funny and let her... until at 1:30 in the morning I decided to take it off. I'm sorry... If you want I will post the last paragraph under this tell me in reviews...**


	15. Muscle Museum

**Lupe: I think they actually half way like it…**

**Me: Well I like it; I just don't like writing it.**

**Zuko: Yeah.**

**Me: In other news I got my homecoming dress today for 15 FREAKING DOLLARS which ironically is the number of chapters… coolio**

**Zuko: Wait… wait… didn't you have a chapter where an A/N was about homecoming?**

**Me: Yeah… I think I did… wow has it been that long?**

**Lupe: Wow… it has…**

**Zuko: TOO LONG!**

**Me: I know, and btw I'm gonna wrap this story up in maybe one or two more chapters**

**Lupe: Thank the LORD!**

**Zuko: What? :O**

**Me: Yeah…**

**Zuko: You're… going… you're going to leave me… :'(**

**Me: Yes… I am… but I'll always be your friend.**

**Zuko: Same here!**

**Zuko/me: *teary huggy goodbye* IM GOING TO MISS YOU!**

**Lupe: -_- wow… you know this isn't the end right?**

**Me: Oh… uh…**

**Zuko: Yeah…**

**Me: Zuko what should we do in situations like this?**

**Zuko: Go to the zoo and flick off the monkey?**

**Me: YEAH! *highfive***

**Lupe: Isn't it flip off the monkey?**

* * *

_But you still want to spoil it,  
To prove I've made a big mistake.  
Too long trying to resist it,  
You've just gone and missed it,_

_**Muse- Muscle Museum**_

* * *

Chapter 15 – Muscle Museum

Every eye turned to Zuko, but he could not meet any of them besides Kyoya's. "What do you mean? Where is she? Is she here?"

Kyoya's face betrayed nothing. "Sit down and I will tell you the tale."

Zuko remained on his feet. "Where is she?" He asked again. Kyoya sighed.

"Please sit." Kyoya insisted and this time Zuko obeyed. He dropped to the ground swiftly, never breaking his eye contact with the wizened older man. "Seven years ago a woman came to this village, starving and worn from travel. Even though she was obviously Fire Nation we took her in.

"Everyone welcomed her to the village, though she mostly sat indoors and didn't respond when people tried to talk to her. She cried a lot until finally one day she emerged. She came to me and tried to apologize for being a horrible guest. I myself dismissed these notions because of my joy at her finally interacting with the community. She then wove an incredible story of how she killed her father-in-law, the Firelord, so her husband could take the thrown."

Zuko's companions all stared at him in shock. This was new news for everyone, save Zuko. He had always suspected what his mother had done and it had only strengthened his resolve to find her. She had protected him, now it was his turn to do the favor.

"She tried to excuse her sin by saying she only did it to protect her son. Obviously you." Kyoya nodded to Zuko. "She said that your father would have killed you if she hadn't acted. I always wondered if this were true."

Zuko gave a fake laugh at the dark humor. "If you had known my father you wouldn't have had to wonder." Kyoya frowned.

"I'm so sorry for you." He said. Zuko nodded, in thanks or encouragement for Kyoya to return to the story it wasn't clear. In any case Kyoya continued.

"She then carried on to say that she had wandered through the span of the Earth Kingdom looking for remote villages like this. Apparently we were the only one to welcome her. She worked among our number; she always said that her son would come for her one day." Here Kyoya looked up at Zuko. "She talked a lot about you, she said that you were such a handsome boy, always kind and thoughtful, unlike your father and sister." Zuko didn't hear any of the compliments though. He only noticed the past tense Kyoya had slipped his narrative.

"You said she _talked_about me." Zuko sighed. "She has given up on me then." He felt failure rush over him in an oh-so familiar wave.

"Ursa never gave up on you." Kyoya said and again Zuko noticed the past tense.

"Why are you talking about her like that. She is here…" Zuko faltered, his stomach dropped. "Where is she?" He asked panicked.

"I'm so sorry, she passed away about a year ago." Kyoya spoke softly but the words were like hammers to Zuko.

Tears caught in his eyes and his throat closed up. He stared at Kyoya and suddenly fire flared up around his hands. Zuko sprung up quickly. "No, no you're lying, Where is she?" He looked at Tamaki who wouldn't meet his eyes. He felt the deep pit in his stomach open. "WHERE IS SHE?" He yelled. Kyoya was the only one who moved.

"I'm sorry but-" Zuko cut him off with a glare.

"Don't you dare say she's dead, she's not!" He pointed at Kyoya and a flame leaped from his finger and was instantly suffocated by a gust of wind from Tamaki. "WHERE IS SHE?" The leader didn't respond. He rounded on his friends.

"Why aren't you helping?" He shouted. "They're lying! Can't you see?" None of them moved except Katara.

"Zuko." She breathed and reached out a hand to comfort him. His face twisted into a snarl and he slapped her hand away. She gasped as the flames licked around her hand

"This is what you wanted! Didn't you! You wanted to show me that you were right!" Katara shied away. The heat radiating off of him was becoming unbearable.

"No, of course not," She said but was cut off as Zuko stormed past her.

Zuko pushed back the curtain that hung around the hut and ran outside.

Katara sat in shock as did the rest of her company. She felt a hand at her shoulder and looked up to meet Sokka's face a mix of shock and pity.

Kyoya pulled Tamaki closer and talked briskly to him. "What did he mean by that Katara?" Sokka asked.

"I… before we left, I said that he shouldn't go because I didn't want him getting hurt if his mother was… dead." She felt a tear well up in her eye and she blinked it away. Sokka frowned concerned. She remembered how it felt when she had lost her mother. She was distraught, unresponsive, shocked and felt as if the whole world should be darker because of the tragedy. The only thing that kept her from falling into a pit of despair was the rest of her family anchoring her to the world by their love.

"I need to go find him." She stated and pushed away from Sokka. Outside the village was quieter and more secretive. As if something important had just happened and it wasn't polite to talk about it, but it just had to be discussed.

Katara didn't mind the people she kept running towards the exit. She was at the gate when she noticed a little black spot in the grass. As soon as she saw it she looked back and saw other darkened parts in the grass left behind by hot feet.

It was better than breadcrumbs for finding someone. Katara hurried in wake of the footprints.

The scorch marks had been a perfect trail and had ended in a small circle of trees, where Zuko sat on his knees with his back to her.

She cautiously stepped forward and froze as she heard the crunch of grass underfoot. Zuko twisted his head so that his scarred eye was looking at her. There was a glistening of tears in the corner of the eye but his head was whipped back too quickly to see it properly.

"Leave." He commanded in a harsh voice. Katara kept moving forward. Zuko sighed.

Katara moved next to him and sat down. Tears were sliding from his amber eyes and his skin was still as hot as a furnace. None the less she took his hand, ignoring the burning sensation.

"I'm sorry." Katara whispered. Zuko shook his head.

"No you're not." He spat back, he turned his head so she couldn't see his face but didn't retract his hand.

"Yes I am, I wish more than anything I was wrong. I wish that you didn't have to lose her like I lost mine. I wish she didn't leave you in the first place." Katara felt the heat on Zuko's palm fade a bit. "Look at me." He did and she stroked his cheek with her free hand, wiping the tears away. "I will never leave you like that, I promise."

"You could never promise that." Zuko replied, eyes downcast.

"Then I will try my best to stay with you." Katara amended and Zuko tenderly fit his arm around her. She returned the hug trying to pour her love into the gesture.

They stayed in that position for a while Zuko needing the comfort of Katara and Katara willing to give it. Finally Zuko pulled away and took her hands. His skin was much cooler now, but still warmer than most people.

"Thank you," Zuko whispered. "I'm sorry for yelling at you." Katara smoothed her thumb over the side of Zuko's hand.

"It's alright, you were upset, I understand." Katara soothed.

Zuko shook his head and stared at their intertwined hands. "I think I love you, and I'm scared about that." The declaration caught Katara off guard. "Everyone whom I love gets hurt, either by me or by people trying to hurt me, and I'm scared that that will happen to you. And I don't know how I would function with the knowledge that I got you hurt. I hate myself for what I put my mother through, and if you…" Zuko tried to choke out the word 'died' but it failed in his throat. "I would never forgive myself."

Katara swallowed nervously at the sudden declaration. "Is this your idea of trying to break up with me? Because I can handle my own." Zuko's lips twitched in the phantom of a smile. He shook his head.

"I wouldn't dream of it, I am just warning you, in case you want to leave." He looked down at their hands again.

"Never, because I love you too." Katara replied. Zuko looked up. He in his darkest hour, had found something good.

"Katara, if you wouldn't mind leaving me to myself." Zuko asked after several minutes had past. "I want to mourn alone."

Katara kissed his cheek. "Of course, come back when you're ready." She let go of his hands and stood gracefully.

Katara walked out of the ring of trees and on her way back to camp, feeling the oddest sensation of sorrow and weightlessness. She was happy because of the declaration Zuko had given her and he seemed to accept what happened to his mother. Sorrow because she hated watching Zuko in pain and suffered with him because of the shared grief of losing mothers.

She walked along deep in her thoughts when something hit her in the back of the head and Katara fell unconscious in the path of burnt grass.

* * *

Haku looked up as a flash of motion crossed his line of vision. The Fire Lord was running out of the village like the plague was after him. There was a thin, smoky trail dispersing behind the Fire Lord. Haku hung back, his first instinct was to jump now but his logical mind told him that was a bad idea.

His logical mind was right. Not a minute later there was the Waterbender followed the Fire Lord. Haku slipped from his tree and landed noiselessly. He shadowed the Waterbender until she met up with the Fire Lord.

Haku watched them talk and received the gist of what had transpired in the village. The Fire Lord learned that his mother was dead and had gone into a fit over it.

Haku watched as his chance slipped away, the Fire Lord was no longer out of control. His chances of taking him easily were gone and it was all because of the Water Bender. Haku watched as they professed their love to each other with interest.

He could use this.

Haku knew he couldn't take the Fire Lord. His last fight with him had been a testament to that, especially with the Water Bender with him at all times.

But, if Haku could get the Water Bender under his control then it would be simple to twist the Fire Lord to his will. The Water Bender was the key.

She was up and walked out of the Fire Lord's presence. Haku, with the small vestiges of a plan forming in his mind, followed her for a ways.

Her walk slowed to a crawl and Haku saw an opportunity. She was much too busy thinking to notice anything. He pulled out his knife, which had a balled end to the hilt, perfect for hitting something. Haku walked up right behind her and struck her.

The Water Bender fell to the ground, unconscious. Haku slid his dagger back into place and lifted the lifeless body onto his shoulder grunting a little as he hefted her up.

Haku took a few wary steps and then, gaining confidence broke out into a jog. He needed as much time as he could get.

* * *

Zuko had sorted out his thoughts as he sat there staring at the ground, he realized he was ashamed at how he had acted. He shouldn't have lost it. He should go apologize. It was how his mother had raised him.

He pushed himself up from his sitting position and sighed, rubbing the palm of his hand over his face. It soothed him in an odd sort of way.

He made his way back to the village. Zuko had noticed the black scorch marks on the ground and blushed, realizing that's how Katara had found him. Zuko inspected the bottom of his shoe and saw it was black and seared.

He kept walking.

He arrived at camp and Tamaki directed him to the cabin that he had put Zuko's companions in.

"Thank you, and if you see Kyoya, can you tell him I'm sorry for how I acted." Zuko blushed and looked away as he said this.

"I think he understands." Tamaki said sympathetically.

"Still." Tamaki nodded and tried to convey his pity for Zuko with a simple touch of the shoulder. Zuko looked at the hand wondering whether the old man would remove his hand any time soon. He gratefully did and Zuko pushed through. Sokka, Aang, and Toph looked up.

They all looked at Zuko, with pity in their eyes but none of them said anything. Zuko just hoped to God that his eyes weren't red.

Aang went first. "I'm sorry about your Mom, Zuko." The other two tacked their 'Yeah's to the statement.

"Thank you." Zuko accepted. He looked around the room. "Where's Katara?"

Sokka frowned. "I thought she went after you."

"She went back to the village a while ago." Zuko reached the conclusion first.

"What are you saying?" Aang asked. Zuko nearly lost it then and there; he wanted to scream about how stupid he was. How obvious it was that Katara had been taken, or even worse… he couldn't even think it.

Today was obviously a bad day for Zuko.

* * *

**Okay first order of business: does anyone know if it is either "Waterbender" (one word) or "Water Bender" (two words) Cuz it's really pissing me off…**

**And yes, kidnapping is overused and completely unoriginal but… yeah… *cough* it makes excellent fluff. One of my reviewers asked if I enjoy making my characters suffer. Yes… yes I do.:) They need to work hard for their happy endings! And yeah, I'm a bit of a romantic sop.**

**Btw I have NO FREAKIN IDEA where all that fluff came from I'm reviewing it and going "Holy shit wtf is this? Am I turning into a poof?" (I've been watching wayyyy too much british tv)**

**Also I churned out this chapter faster than a puppy chews up new shoes. Amazing!**

**Anyway, were back to Muse. AND THIS ONE IS INTERESTING! Do you know why the song is called muscle museum? Because when they wrote the song they couldn't decide what to name it so they just looked up Muse in the dictionary and Muscle was the word before it and Museum was the word after it. I think it's pretty awesome!**

**Of course I'm tired at crap right now so this might not make sense but seriously thanks for all the reviews/just plain reading it! Thank you so much. Good night**

**Lupe: Please help us with the Water bender or Waterbender! Thanks have a good weekend everyone! :D:D**


	16. Citizen Erased

**__Me: I can't think of anything funny...**

**Zuko: Cuz you're not funny, and you're super late...**

**Me: Yes, I know, I know so yeah... I'm going to leave you to read now...**

_**Wash me away**_  
_**Clean your body of me**_  
_**Erase all the memories**_  
_**They will only bring us pain**_  
_**And I've seen all I'll ever need**_

******_Citizen Erased_**

* * *

****

Chapter 16 - Citizen Erased

Katara blinked her eyes and the world swam with bright colored blotches among the darker hues. She moaned as her head throbbed painfully, she tried to reach a hand to rub the lesion but found that her hands were tied above her head. She struggled against the rope but the exertion just made her head pound more. She blinked trying to make her eyes focus and after a while they did.

She could make out a tea pot on a patch of cherry embers carefully tended by a man, in nondescript clothes. The man had one of those faces that you would glide over not paying attention to, someone who would be impossible to describe. Katara suddenly became nauseous and gagged. Spit ran out of her mouth and dripped on the ground in the most disgusting way imaginable.

Finally once that was done she could get a look around her, even though her head still felt like someone had dropped rocks on it. Katara was sitting beside a tree, her hands hanging from a low branch. They were in a small space between a few trees. Bushes surrounded them in a tight circle that gave the glen an enclosed feel to it that sent shivers down Katara's spine.

"Hello." The man said. Katara stared at him, her pulse pounding in her head. "Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you." She grew dizzy from struggling. "I said calm! You probably have a minor concussion so it would be best to stay still."

Katara tried to calm herself, but the fact that she was _here _with a _murderer_ who full intends on killing her boyfriend made her uneasy. "Why did you take me?" She forced out through her dry mouth and swollen tongue.

"Insurance." He said happily as if discussing the weather. "See I had already fought the Fire Lord once and lost, because of you Waterbender, and I do not make the same mistakes twice. Also, I heard what the Fire Lord said to you. Obviously you are very prized to him and if I have power over you I have considerable power over him. Though I would never kill you, except if absolutely necessary which I hope it never comes to that."

"No you just hope to kill Zuko, God forbid you have to kill me too." She muttered thickly, a weak attempt at sarcasm but the man laughed all the same.

"I don't know what you feel about me, but I'm not a serial killer." The man said calmly. Katara didn't answer.

"What's your name?" Katara asked

"Haku," He didn't ask for hers. "Do you want a cup of tea?" Katara blinked, startled at the offer. "I haven't been a wonderful host recently and I am not unsympathetic to your feelings."

"Yes." Katara said cautiously. Haku twitched his lips into a poor imitation of a smile.

"Good." Haku rummaged in his bag and pulled out another tea cup and poured a healthy dose of tea into it. He held the cup up to Katara's lips. She tried to make the tea move to her will, but Haku had tied her arms up so much that she could hardly move them at all. Let alone make the graceful moves necessary to do any sort of Waterbending.

"I would be trying to escape too." Haku was watching her fingers twitch. "But I can't let you do that." He held up a cup of tea to her level, and letting her sip on it.

It was much too weak and Katara wrinkled her face in disgust

"What's your evil plan then?" Katara asked, still glaring.

"It's not evil, but I will explain, you can do no harm." Haku set down Katara's tea. "Well first let me explain how I came across this job.

"I was hired by a member of The Fire Lord's council, Fong was his name.I sent my student to take care of him, which a mistake on my part. I grossly underestimated the Fire Lord, and my student is dead now because of that mistake. I followed the Fire Lord to his ship and stayed in the hold, waiting until it landed.

"Wait, Fong hired you?" Katara gasped. "I met him, he was nice."

"Well he hired me to kill the Fire Lord, and don't interrupt!" It was the first time Haku had shown any sort of real emotion. "Any way, I followed the Fire Lord to a river where I lost

contact with him but maintained contact with his group. When they crossed over the river and rejoined I watched from a distance. I saw you fight the rebels. I watched the Fire Lord move on and I attacked him, you helped him win and so I made sure I knew where he was. I was always watching."

Katara shivered. The fact that her every move was watched by someone for who knows how long, made her fear this enemy.

* * *

Zuko's day had started off horrible then gotten better then became absolutely despicable. All he felt like doing was crawling into a small corner and die, except he couldn't, not now. He started this and by God he was going to finish it.

"What happened to her?" Toph asked exasperated. Aang was at the same conclusion Zuko was.

"Maybe she got lost…" He offered hopefully. Sokka sat down cupping his face in his hands, Toph swallowed nervously. Kyoya and Tamaki glanced at each other.

"Maybe she didn't!" Zuko growled.

They all eyed him nervously; they were looking at him for leadership and calmness Zuko realized. So, he needed to take the responsibility and act accordingly, act like the girl he loves isn't probably hurt or in some other indescribable state of being.

"Sorry, I'm going to look for her, who's going to come with me?" He asked.

Tamaki, and Kyoya shared a look that gave Zuko his answer. "So anyone else?" Zuko reiterated. Toph, Sokka, and Aang all stood up in one movement. He nodded "Let's go." Zuko slung his swords over his shoulders and lead the precession out of the door.

Their search didn't last long, on the front gate there was a letter stuck to the gate by a hair pin. Zuko felt his heart sink, then soar. No one would write a ransom note if the subject was dead.

Zuko took it out and read it.

_Dear Fire Lord,_

_ Hello, I don't wish to alarm you but if you do not bring yourself to me by midnight I will kill the Waterbender. I do not wish for any more innocents to die, and I would hate for the Waterbender to be killed. My demands are quiet reasonable. You will present yourself to me, unarmed, alone, in the glen you were previously today. Your presence dictates whether the Waterbender will survive the night. _

_There will be no negotiations. _

There was no signature. Zuko swallowed. Aang and Sokka flicked their eyes between the paper and their friend. "What does it say?" Aang asked.

"What does what say?" Toph growled frustrated.

"Nothing." Zuko said curling the paper into his fist and setting it ablaze. The ashes curled to the ground Toph looked as they touched the ground.

"Is Katara alright?" Sokka asked nervously. He was the perfect picture of a man ready to kill for his sister's safe return. His eyebrows were furrowed, lips turned in a scowl and fists balled at his side.

"She will be." He swore. Toph put the clues together first.

"You're going to sacrifice yourself for her aren't you?" Toph said her voice flat. Zuko glanced around at the trees the stalked back into camp. Aang caught up with him and yanked his shoulder back.

"You are? Are you crazy?" He said half panicked. Zuko cast his eyes around the village. Aang grit his jaw and remained firm. Sokka glared at Aang in near disbelief.

"Crazy for wanting to save my sister?" He shifted his deadly stare to Aang. Aang stared back and thought of what he had said.

"I just meant that we need a plan." Aang snapped back. Sokka and Aang squared up to yell at each other and Toph looked on the scene sadden. This would be when Katarawould step in, break them up, and set up a plan. They needed her to do this. All of them needed Katara.

"Shut up both of you!" Toph hissed. They turned to her, in shock or amazement. "This isn't helping at all we all want Katara back, so shut up, and let's talk sensibly and do something productive!" While all of the boys glared at Toph, they knew she was right, not that they had to like it.

Toph lead her troops into their tent and drew the covers shut.

"You aren't coming." Zuko stated. They all broke out in protests.

"You can't-"

"To hell you're not-"

"You can't make judgments-" Zuko let them talk over each other.

Finally all petered out but Aang's voice rang true. "You are seriously confused about how this thing works."

Zuko grit his teeth. "What do you mean? I am 'seriously confused' about nothing. I don't want anyone else getting hurt!"

"What makes you think we are gonna get hurt, you doubt us that much?" Toph cracked.

"No, it's just that…" Zuko trailed off. "It's my mess-" He was about to finish his sentence when Sokka broke in.

"She's my sister." Toph placed a hand on Aang's shoulder.

"And our friend." Zuko coughed and tried to hide his pride.

"And there's nothing I can say or do to deter you from this?" Zuko asked a bit beaten down.

"Nope." Sokka asked. Aang shook his head lips pursed in a small smile.

"Thank you, I appreciate it." Zuko nodded, already a plan was forming in his head.

* * *

The novelty of fear, and gut wrenching terror was wearing off and the boredom was settling into Katara's brain. Haku had just returned but ignored her except to send her a pitying look which made the fear flare up briefly then die again as she saw that he wasn't going to do anything else.

The man kept checking his watch then peering out into a gap in the trees which Katara couldn't see out of. "What are you looking for?" Katara asked curious.

"The Fire Lord." Haku answered. Katara swallowed nervously.

"Why would he be showing up there?" Katara questioned. The boredom was gone, replaced by absolute utter terror.

"I told him to." Haku looked directly into Katara's eyes. "You are being ransomed. I want him in my reach, you are in my reach. It doesn't take an intellectual to realize that. It's called a trade."

Katara made a sound that was half way between a scoff and a cry of pain. "He won't come, Zuko's smarter than that."

Haku smiled grimly. "I hope for your sake he does. I don't want any innocents' dead today."

"You are a filthy idiot liar! Zuko is a good man." Katara screamed. Haku's amusement disappeared in a flash.

"The Fire Lord is a usurper and has tried to kill you on many occasions." Haku growled. "You don't think he deserves to die?"

"He's changed." Katara begged. "Zuko has changed."

"People like The Fir-" Haku was already shaking from repressing his anger but his face and stature was as calm as ever. Katara however wasn't.

"HIS NAME IS ZUKO AND IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GONNA KILL HIM ATLEAST SAY HIS NAME!" She screeched and thrashed against her binds even though her wrists have been rubbed raw already.

Haku took a strip of leather from his belt and stalked toward Katara who glared defiantly. "I can either gag you, or you can be quiet. It's your choice." He threatened.

Katara tried to work up a gob of spit but her mouth was too dry so she contented herself to tell him to, "Rot in hell you bastard."

She saw his hand descend and felt the burst of pain on her cheek. Her head snapped back and she slowly turned her neck to look at Haku. She let no sign of the pain cross her face as she raised her chin. "I hope you burn."

Haku raised his fist again and hit her again and again Katara ignored the blossoming of the agony in her face. Before she could say anything Haku bound her mouth with the leather. Katara stared deep into Haku's eyes trying to send her insolence through those channels. Haku sighed and shook his head. "You shouldn't have made me angry."

Katara glowered at him until Haku turned his back to watch the spot where Zuko would appear. When she knew he couldn't see her she slumped beaten, and rested her chin on her chest biting her lips trying to keep the tears of utter defeat from spilling over her eyes.

Haku looked back and smiled at what he had reduced the Waterbender too. But it also made him a little sad. The Waterbender reminded him of Tung, which was one of the reasons he knew that if the Fire Lord did not show he would hate himself for killing her.

Night fell and nothing had changed at Haku's camp. Katara was still bound, and Haku was still watching. Katara raised her head to look at the stars, hoping that they would offer their comfort and beauty to an underling, except the sky was cloudy and looked almost ready to rain.

Katara's heart leapt at the chance of the storm. The water might loosen her bonds and then she could use the water to either capture or kill the assassin. Katara's stomach turned at killing him until she remembered that he had promised to kill Zuko.

Katara heard the rumble of thunder but no raindrops fell to the earth. She watched as lighting light the clouds up when she heard Haku move, the first time in hours.

"He's here." Haku whispered. He moved to Katara drawing a knife from his belt. She tried to resume her stare of loathing but couldn't find the energy. She knew it could be the last time she would ever see Zuko, her best friend, her love, alive again. "It's time to go."

Katara was dragged up, and a rope was produced out of Haku's pack. She watched as the ropes sealed her into her prison.

Haku made sure she couldn't move at all even going as far as to tying a leash around her neck. She hoped that there wouldn't be cause to use it as the rope burn was already springing up on her neck.

"You are to remain quiet and still and not interfere at all." Haku ordered. Katara found it hard to look intimidating when she couldn't even move.

Haku grabbed a fist full of the ropes and pulled Katara along over the twigs and dirt. She tried to dig her heels in and delay the process but whenever she got her heel stuck Haku gave a great heave and jerked her loose. She was suddenly pulled forward and came face to face with Zuko his face set in a determined scowl.

* * *

Zuko saw Haku dragging Katara, bound and vulnerable. He swung her around and he saw the blossom of a bruise on her cheek but otherwise she was perfectly sound.

"Where are your friends? I didn't actually expect you to come alone." Haku commented.

"Sleeping still I hope, they were working out a plan when I went to go make tea and, well I felt they could do with some decent sleep." Zuko seemed deadly serious about this which worried Katara deeply. "You said you wouldn't hurt her."

He caught her eye and quickly dropped it. Zuko met the eyes of Haku and glared. Haku shrugged. "She was getting on my nerves. And I can hurt her some more, watch." Haku hit Katara again on the cheek. Zuko stood still but his hands started to smoke and he tensed. "And you can't do a damn thing because I can still kill her. Just like you killed Tung."

Zuko ground his teeth and said nothing. The blow, while making her dizzy and ache, had loosened the leather strap around her mouth. She tried to work it out with her tongue, while not being too obvious about it, though neither man was paying much attention to her at the moment.

Zuko was standing, bold and defiant against Haku's rage. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Tung, My apprentice, the one who…" Zuko cut him off.

"Who was trying to kill me? So I killed him end of story." Zuko growled. Haku couldn't even speak anymore his face was red and as he stuttered as he tried to get the words out. "Come on!" Zuko egged.

Haku flew at him knife in hand. Zuko stood calmly and raised two fingers in the air and drew them down in a flowing circle, his other hand followed drawing blue static out of the air and suddenly the crash of thunder and the blinding flash of lightning.

Katara stopped struggling long enough to see a body fly backwards into a tree and Zuko standing unaffected. He stared at the place where Haku had been with a sick sort of happiness on his face, and then he blinked and moved to where Katara lay.

"Are you alright?" Zuko asked, he pulled out his sword and began to carefully cut the ropes that bound her.

Katara nodded as much as she could, the ropes had started to cramp her muscles and the flow of blood did little to ease the pain. He untied the leather from her mouth and she sighed. "Thank you." She laminated.

Zuko smiled. "It was about time I repaid you, I'm tired of being the damsel in distress." He kissed her on her cheek and pulled her up.

Katara tried to support herself and stumbled along for a few feet in the general direction of camp. Zuko caught her arm and pulled her into a tight hug. "Don't ever scare me like that again, okay love?" He whispered in her ear.

Katara sighed and murmured back. "I won't."

* * *

**Yes I know, I'm late, and this isn't really that good, just school has been mind boggling hard, and life is just been a bitch recently. **

**So as I realized (because I am a giant nerd, and school has become my life) just as the flashing helmet in the Iliad is a motif for shit going down, rain is my own helmet flashing. I learned this when I was going over this again. **

**Citizen Erased is the most badass muse song ever. I felt as if it fit... I'm sorry for such a short AN (or maybe you enjoyed it and for that your welcome) but really I must go to bed like right now and no promises but I hope to have the next chapter up quicker (more quickly? idk) than this, hopefully for thanksgiving and if you don't celebrate the death of thousands of native Americans for the sake of land than that's in about two weeks. (History is another subject that has taken over my brain) IN OTHER NEWS I GOT A TUMBLR!**

***yay* so if you want to follow me and get a shit ton of merlin, supernatural, and other nerdy stuff on your dash i'm .com**

**yeah... I think thats it... So yeah BIEEEEEEE**


	17. TNT

**Me: Shit this took a long time... new semester and all that crap**

**Zuko: You hoe, way to leave me!**

**Me: Shut up, really, seriously, stop talking you lower the IQ of the entire street**

**Zuko: What was that?**

**Me: Uh... uh... nothing**

**Zuko: YOU FOUND SOMEONE ELSE! THAT WAS FROM SHERLOCK!**

**Me: No, no it's not I swear!**

**Zuko: You horrendous bitch! I trusted you! *walks off***

**Me: Zuko nooooooo! Do me one last miracle! Don't be-**

**Zuko: Don't you dare say it! DONT YOU DARE! I... I cried my eyes out when *spoilers* sherlock died!**

**Me: ... me too... :'(**

**Zuko/Me: *tearful hugs of shared pain***

**Me: Alrighty so yeah... * wipes eyes***

**Zuko: Enjoy...**

* * *

**_Lock up your back door  
and run for your life  
The man is back in town _**

**__AC/DC - TNT**

* * *

Chapter 17 TNT

The walk back to camp was uneventful compared to the long day Zuko and Katara both just had. They stayed close together every once in a while squeezing the other's hand just to check if they were still there, still real, still within reach.

"How are you holding up?" Katara asked gently. Zuko looked down at her with a raised eyebrow asking for further details. "With your mother I mean."

"Oh," Zuko said then sighed sadly. "I don't know, I mean it hurts but she really wasn't what I was worried about most today. I think just so many years without her, I know what life is like with her gone, but still I did hope."

Katara swallowed and shifted uncomfortably. "Sorry for saying what I did, you know back in the Fire Nation. I didn't want her dead." She bit her lip waiting for Zuko's hurt reply.

Instead she felt his warm arm snake around her waist and a kiss on her head. "I know. I'm sorry for yelling at you."

They walked forward in silence, "How do you feel?"

"What do you mean?" Katara asked, her gaze flicking upwards. Zuko brushed his warm fingers against her bruise on her cheek and faintly rested on her sore wrists. "Oh…" She sighed, then shrugged. "I'm fine really, I'll fix myself later."

"Are you sure?" He asked lifting his hands from the sores. Katara huffed a solemn laugh.

"I'm good, it's really nothing. It's not the worst thing that's ever happened to me."

"Why did he…" His golden eyes flashed to her cheek then back to her eyes.

"Oh I said a few things along the lines of 'burn in hell you bastard' that might have set him off." Katara had a fierce gleam in her eye that brought out the ghost of a smile.

Zuko didn't know how to respond to that so he just smiled the oddest mixture of pride and fury at Haku for even laying a hand on her.

"I just wish I could repay him in kind." Katara breathed and silence fell again.

They walked back to the camp, and were greeted with the fire light spilling out of a single tent where voices still came from. Zuko sighed. "I guess they're still up."

"How did you convince them not to follow you?" Katara asked confused. If she knew one thing about her friends they wouldn't let Zuko go alone, no matter what he nor anyone else said.

"I didn't… I um… drugged them." Katara stared at Zuko in shock and disbelief. As if on cue someone raced out of the lit tent and sprinted towards the pair.

"You complete and utter ass-hat!" Sokka growled, a sharp slap echoed through the darkened camp.

"Sokka! He just saved my life you know." Katara pushed him back. Then ran and hugged him. "I missed you,"

"I missed you too." Sokka said hugging her back before letting go.

Sokka looked at Zuko. "This doesn't make me like you anymore, but you know… thanks."

"You're welcome." Zuko said plainly but with a little smile in his voice. "How's everyone else?"

"Not happy but they're tolerant." Sokka shrugged.

Zuko sighed, "Well couldn't expect anything more." He moved towards the tent warily, and saw Aang controlling the fire making each stick blaze individually, and Toph sulking in a corner.

"Hey jerk." Toph called still very angry. "See Sweetness is back."

"Yep…" Zuko clasped his hands behind his back waiting for the yelling.

"Okay, you're lucky you didn't die because I would have killed you." Toph growled then got out of her pouting position, and moved to greet Katara who had just entered the tent. "Hey, glad your back."

"Glad to be back." Katara smiled at everyone and Aang beamed back and moved to hug Katara, first looking at Zuko for permission. Katara noticed the exchange and hugged Aang before Zuko could respond.

"How was your nap?" She asked with a smirk. Aang glared at her for a second before smiling.

"Refreshing." Aang commented, and then his face grew somber. "I'm glad you're alright."

"Thanks." Katara yawned out the word. Zuko moved to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you tired?" He asked smoothly.

"Very." Katara yawned. Zuko took her by the arm and showed her where to lie down.

"It's been a long night," Aang said and he extinguished the fire. Katara slid down into the pallet and her eyes sagged. She felt the swift brush of warm lips against her forehead, and Katara fell asleep happy.

Katara opened her eyes slowly and lazily, and yawned. She looked around the room seeing the dozing bodies of her friends, all but one. Katara pushed herself up and tiptoed outside.

"Good morning." She said to Zuko. He was leaning against the hut wall outside the door, swords across his lap. "Have you been here all night?"

"Yes," He answered simply. Katara sighed and sat down next to him.

"You don't have to do this." Katara soothed. Zuko shrugged stiffly.

"Makes me feel better." He said.

"You must be freezing." Katara whispered.

"Not really." Zuko contradicted.

"Just come in and sleep." She hissed, not amused.

Zuko slid his swords back into its scabbard and groaned as he got up. "Yes ma'am." He muttered and Katara cracked a smile.

Katara opened the curtain and Zuko walked in ducking his head to avoid the low frame. She let Zuko spread out on her former pallet and watched him warily as he fell asleep.

Katara sat down awkwardly because of the lack of space in the tiny hut and was still for a few minutes staring around the room and at the sleeping faces until that started to feel slightly creepy and she tiptoed outside into the sleepy village.

She knocked around a bit nodding to the few people who were up as early as she was, along with Kyoya. "Hello."

"It's good to see you again." Kyoya smiled.

"Thank you." Katara nodded awkwardly. She had never planned on having a prolonged conversation with him and she had run out of things to say.

"You're very lucky." Kyoya went on as if he didn't notice Katara's awkward shifts and uncomfortable words.

"Well, I'd be luckier if I hadn't been kidnapped in the first place." She joked a smile twitching on her face before dying again. Oh how she longed to be back in the tent, she didn't care if she was creepy or not.

"That's not what I meant." Kyoya laughed. "You're lucky to have such great friends. They were willing to follow you into the fire without flinching."

Katara smiled. "I know that. Thank you." She nodded and finally the awkwardness affected her too much that she excused herself and returned to her hut.

They stayed not many more days in the small village. Kyoya offered for Aang to stay and teach the young students of the school but he declined promising he would return. Aang couldn't stay in a place more than a short time. So eventually with the packs filled and memories made, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph and Zuko left.

It took them a much shorter time getting there as it did going to, and it was a much more cheerful event. Which was made even happier by Sokka's proud declaration. "Finally!"

Everyone looked up from their various activities in the camp to stare at his outburst. Sokka held up a piece of stone which no one could see what shape it was because he was waving it around so fast. "Well what is it?"

"It's Suki's engagement necklace. Well, the stone anyway, but the ribbon should be really easy to find." He looked at the stone briefly then everyone else. Katara sprang up faster than anyone thought possible.

"LET ME SEE!" She squealed and ran towards Sokka whose face suddenly bore a look of panic. She snatched the small stone out of her brother's hands and turned it over. It was a small fan so detailed, and so pretty that she wondered whether it really was her brother that carved this, the same one who carved a bear-fish thing for Princess Yue. "Oh my…"

Aang peered over her shoulder and at the tiny fan. "That's beautiful Sokka." Aang smiled. "She'll love it." Toph took the stone in her hands feeling it.

Even Zuko came gingerly up to see what the fuss was. "Pretty." He commented.

"It's beautiful!" Katara gasped taking it from Toph greedily and stared at it smiling. "Oh Suki would be an amazing addition to the family." She turned it over and over, a small spark of longing flickered in her eyes and she resisted the urge to steal a glance at Zuko.

"It's perfect for her." Aang complimented. "I love weddings!" He was beaming at Sokka and the fan.

"Have you even been to a wedding? They're not fun." Toph interjected pessimistically. Sokka frowned and made a face at Toph, which was wasted.

"That's just because you've never been to a wedding with me." Aang smiled. "Dancing, drinking…"

"You don't drink" Toph interrupted. Aang shrugged. "Still, makes for better parties."

"I have to agree with Toph on this one, just a bunch of people talking, and hugging and crying about how _oh so perfect they are together." _ Zuko rolled his eyes faking a mocking falsetto voice. "It's never any fun."

"Oh you never have fun." Katara playfully teased. "And you've never been to one of our weddings, they were always a bunch of fun when we were kids." She nudged Sokka, and giggled, "Remember when…" And so they went on and on for hours.

It wasn't until they were on the ship home that the mood grew somber. Zuko was starring out at the water off the brow of the ship; Katara came and joined him, playfully bumping into him. She frowned as soon as she noticed his expression.

"What's wrong?" Zuko tilted his head to see the bruise which was still evident on her face,

"Oh, nothing to worry you with, political matters." Zuko shook his head. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, perfectly fine." She raised an eyebrow. "Trying to figure out what to do with Fong?"

Zuko blinked and a confused look crossed his face. "Why would I have to do anything to Fong?"

Katara gasped. "Oh God! Dammit!" She swore. "I guess I completely forgot with all the commotion, I'm sorry I thought he told you."

"Told me what?" Zuko's face grew deadly serious.

Katara swallowed nervously. "Um…" She opened her mouth and closed it and bit her lip. Zuko hung on every tiny little opening of her mouth. "Fong was the one who wanted you dead, he was the one who hired the assassin."

Zuko's face was unreadable, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "Are you sure?"

Katara nodded. "It came from his own mouth. I only remembered it now when you were talking about political matters."

Zuko bit his tongue and stared pensively into the hull of the ship. "Well, that sucks."

"Sorry." Katara sighed and shifted uncomfortably. Zuko smiled and threw an arm gently around her.

"It's not your fault." He said and gave her a rare smile.

Katara's lips turned up in a tiny smile, they stayed that way until Zuko's smile slid off his face. He was thinking deeply and complexly about some problem or another. "What were you thinking about before though, the other political stuff?"

Zuko blinked, and his face went blank. "What my father would say about my mother's death."

Which was a total lie of course, Zuko had no intention to ever talk to his father again, but it was a good idea. He couldn't tell Katara what he was thinking about though.

"Oh, okay." Katara shrugged but glanced sideways out of her eyes at Zuko. She didn't in particularly believe him, but she believed that he had enough on his plate without her bothering him to know what's on his mind.

The ship ride lasted much shorter than anyone really expected. There was virtually no one at the port but Zuko still threw his hood over he strode directly towards the palace, people passed him on the streets and didn't even bat a glance, but when they saw Aang they stared, some looked frightened, some awed.

How ignorant they were, that they were ignoring possibly the most important person of the country but near ogling at a thirteen year old kid who may or may not fully understand what politics really entails.

"We kind of stick out like a sore thumb here don't we?" Sokka whispered. The dark bags under his eyes mirrored hers, it's been a long journey they were dirty, grimy, filthy, and all together messy.

"A tad." Katara grinned. Her bruise was almost gone, only tinges of yellow that blended with her dark skin.

The difference grew as they moved closer and closer towards the palace, Zuko leading the way a few feet ahead of them, head bend to hide his height. People, instead of staring at Aang and his entourage wrinkled their noses at them, pursed their lips in disgust and turned away from the group. Katara enjoyed their looks of disbelief as they were allowed into the palace grounds.

Surprisingly Zuko kept his distance and his hood up as they were welcomed to his home, but he allowed his friends to catch up.

"What's with all this sneaking around?" Aang asked. Zuko bent his head even more to allow him to confine his voice to barley a whisper.

"I don't want the heads of states knowing I'm back. One of them tried to kill me, and I want to time my arrival to throw him off."

"What about Iroh?" Toph asked. She always had had a soft spot for the old fire bender.

"I was hoping you could tell him to meet me in my room." Zuko hissed, even lower, shifting his eyes around as if he half expected someone to attack him through the walls.

"Okay, but you better have a good plan, I don't want to worry Iroh needlessly." Toph turned and walked down the corridor. Katara wondered briefly how she would find her way, but remembered since Toph saw with her feet she could feel the vibrations of Iroh's voice anywhere in the labyrinth palace.

"Alright follow me." Zuko went down another hallway leading Aang, Sokka, and Katara through endless weaving passages, which held new wonders and horrors at every turn. An eerily torch lit corridor descending into darkness, a brightly colored hallway with pictures of different scenes from around the Fire Nation.

Finally they reached a large deserted arch with a walkway beyond. The walls were bare and nothing like the guest rooms that they had stayed in before their adventure. There were countless rooms up and down the corridor most with their doors shut and locked. Only two were open presently and only one with the feeling of comfort in it. Zuko lead them into the one with hardly anything in it.

"Sorry for the mess." He muttered gruffly. It was obviously intended as a joke but it was hard to tell with Zuko's sarcasm sometimes. The bed was made, the wardrobe in the corner was shut with the faintness hint of dust, the desk in the corner had a neat even pile of papers, scrolls and other official looking documents.

There was no decoration except an empty bracket on which, Katara thought, his broadswords must hang when they aren't in use.

"Make yourself comfortable." Zuko motioned again towards the sparse bed and plain wooden chair which accompanied his desk. "I'll see if I can find some tea."

Katara took to the wooden chair immediately, and sat down in it so she was facing the room. Aang and Sokka remained standing, looking around curiously.

Katara got bored of watching her friends dig through Zuko's things so she decided to do some digging for herself. She lifted the first paper from the pile and read it. It was a letter from the Fire Nation ambassador in the Northern Water Tribe.

She quickly put it down after only a few seconds of reading. Katara opened up the drawers only to find spare brushes, paper, ink, and in the last drawer, letters. Katara picked up the letter and recognized her handwriting immediately.

_Dear Zuko, _

_ That sounds awful; I can barely stand the council for reconstruction, let alone three full days of arguing over something as trivial as tulips. _

Katara smiled over the silly little note about tulips and the trials of teaching Sokka how to properly cook Seal Meat into Jerky. She picked through the rest of the letters and saw other handwriting towards the bottom, that of Aang and Sokka and someone who wrote for Toph but not in the same quantity of Katara's. She thought about how all of Zuko's letters had gone to a safe wooden box in her bureau.

She was smiling over the letters when Toph burst in with Iroh. Katara jumped and hurriedly shut the drawer.

"I'm so glad to see you all, Toph has filled me in on some things but I'm afraid I don't understand. Where is my nephew?"

"Back here." Zuko called from behind a door. He came out bearing a tray of tea cups, and passed them around to all in the vicinity.

Iroh sat down at the foot of the bed, and drank his tea listening to Zuko recount the story of how they went to find Ursa. He recounted nothing personal about him and Katara and skipped over the flood, but recalled the kidnapping in full detail. Zuko ended with Katara telling him about Fong on the way home from the Earth Kingdom.

"That is quite a tale." Iroh mused sipping at the now cold tea.

"Yes, it is." Zuko sighed. "And it's also the reason why you have to kill me."

* * *

**Yeah... sorry for the wait... really I am and sorry for the crap writing. **

**The entire top was a bit of a nod to my new love (it doesn't replace my old love of ATLA trust me) Sherlock. Seriously if any of you haven't seen it it's bloody marvelous, the first season's on netflix so that works, and guys... you have to _STAY ALIVE! _oh... no one gets that... cool bro...**

**Yeah, I actually had this done a while ago I just never checked over it and i never checked over it too thoroughly so if anyone could send me anything I miss I'll try to fix it. At least some of it. :/**

**The AC/DC song is new right right ehhh? :) Only because I'm too lazy to look up a new song... I've kind of been on an 80's binge recently... sorry! (I'm not sorry at all :P) So yeah... this isn't going to end for maybe another few chapters so you got me for atleast another 2 months (holy crap 2 months pshhhh wateves not happening tumblr is too awesome) **

**watttttttttt... **

**Anyway thanks for reading and all that :) LATERZZZZZZZZ (no one gets that either... alright...)**


	18. Hold On

Chapter 18

Sokka, Toph, Iroh and Aang returned to the Fire Nation throne room, Iroh seriously in worse condition that when he had left. Iroh aided by Toph and Aang was helped across the room as the members of the Council stood up respectfully. There was no murmur, no whisper, not even the subtlest hint of a breath in the room, it was as if the very air was watching the sad procession.

Iroh gently freed himself from his aids and stood to face the Council Sokka, over looked stayed at the door of the room keeping watch. "As many of you had asked where my –" Here Iroh choked a bit but continued. "my nephew had been… and I may finally say." The entire council was still and silent but you could almost feel the eagerness leaking into the atmosphere.

" The Fire Lord has received information on the location of his mother, and joined the Avatar and his companions to find her. The path the Fire Lord took is still secret as his companions will not reveal their trip, but one fact remained clear in their report." Here Iroh choked again but along with it a single tear rolled down his cheek to be lost in his beard. "The Fire Lord has not returned from the trip, he has… passed on…" Iroh looked away and finally the Council showed life.

The men's faces all broke from the calm mask of neutrality to a mix of emotions, from crushing sorrow, to confusion to absolute and utter joy. The last however was only born on one face, which became evident as he opened his mouth to speak. "We are all grievously sorry to hear that Iroh… we know Zuko was like a son to you."

Iroh nodded and was preparing to speak again when the same man interrupted him, this man was Fong. "And if I'm correct you've abdicated the Throne. Haven't you Iroh."

"That's still Fire Lord Iroh to you pinhead!" Toph shouted, but somehow in the situation it had lost her fire.

"And so we have no heir, no members of the ruling family that could be in charge, with Ursa gone and Zuko gone now too, Azula is not fit to rule so that leaves only one choice. One person. One single man who could bring this nation back to control."

The whole council was quiet. "Ozai could, Ozai has brought order to us before." Fong started pacing about the room. "He saved us, he saved us from the rule of this" Fong glared at Iroh with an intensity that it made the older man shrink back. "_Pathetic" _ he spat the word with such fury that it left his tongue bitter. "Man."

"You do not want to go back to a time of war, young people sent off to die?" Iroh asked quietly, almost sniveling.

"With war we are strong." Fong replied. "I don't remember having such ludicrous taxes, before war, I don't remember having such loss of jobs. Without the war we are nothing." Fong growled. The council didn't move but the air in the room was so thick with tension that you could cut it with a knife.

"There are only two things certain in this world Fong, and that is death and taxes." Iroh said wisely.

"Not these, we had a reputable life style! And now because of the outcast Son of Ozai we must live with restraints we don't deserve to have!" Fong stared at each of his fellow council members but none would meet his eye.

"The pretend boy in grown-ups clothes is now dead! Isn't it time for our fellow man to lead the flock back to its prosperity?" Fong hissed.

The flames leapt to life on the raised dais, everyone in the vicinity jump. Fong went ghostly white as the flames burned white hot and so huge nothing could penetrate their shining curtain. "See our Ruler returns to us!" Fong called and bowed low. "Fire Lord, I have the pleaser of informing you it was I that made it possible for your glorious return! I am the one who sent an assassin to your son. The one who took initiative. I am your ever humble and willing servant."

The curtain of flame broke just enough to let the solitary figure, silhouetted against the glow, to push from behind the barrier. The flames died almost as quickly as they had appeared, and Fong realized his entirely foolish mistake.

Zuko was standing there a cold fire in his eyes, Katara a little away from him keeping a vigilant eye for any moves the Council or their ill-fated country man might try.

"He's alive." Someone muttered. "A ghost" Came another voice. It seemed that the Council finally broke its silence.

"Thank you Uncle." Zuko said quietly and deadly. The entire hall fell quiet and even the flames flickering in the back made no sound. "Now Fong, since you love my father's ways so much what would he do with a traitor?"

Fong was so white he seemed transparent. It was no surprise that he didn't have an ounce of courage in his body when faced with the Fire Lord.

Under Fire Lord Ozai's regime the council man had the stability of a rich life. His children unaffected by the draft for soldiers, his business given monopolies and taxes rarely blew his way. His family and himself were prosperous but that was slowly changing with Zuko as Fire Lord.

The reforms of the New Fire Nation were hard on the nobility and easy on the peasants, slowly closing the gap between the rich and the poor, by building the poor up and bringing the rich down. Fong and others like him could not afford their old style of life, but the others 'were glad to give to the cause' and 'help raise their brother and sisters out of the ashes'. It sickened him.

He felt that everyone had a place and that they should know it, and the honor less banished prince was vastly out of place. But now, looking like an avenging angel, Fong was the one who felt like a child against a master.

"Fong!" Zuko asked again, no louder than before. "What would my father do to traitors?"

Fong knew the answer but shook his head, he feared if he spoke then he would throw up.

"Since you obviously don't know, he would have them put up against a wall and used as target practice for the new recruits." Fong swallowed nervously. "If I was my father I would make sure you are an example. That no wrong should go unpunished."

Fong felt his lip began to quiver in fear but, summoning his last vestiges of resolve, he stood firm. "You are lucky then that I am not my father."

Fong nearly collapsed as one of his knees gave out. "Thank you, thank you." Fong whimpered. It was more than he could hope for.

"Don't thank me yet, you have no idea what your punishment is." Zuko hissed the fire behind him grew. "You will be stripped of your status."

Fong nodded his head, he could live with this. Anything seemed better than being burned alive right then. "You will forfeit the rights of your company, and to your Fire Nation citizen rights. You are banished from this land."

Fong nodded again, banishment, he could start anew, at least he wasn't dead. "And you are to wear the mark of the traitor everywhere, until you die." At these words Zuko jumped and shot a very fine blast of fire at Fong. The fire caught him on his cheek and the man screamed. Everyone in the room jumped and as Fong pulled his hand away from his cheek they could see the skin burned in the shape of a T.

"You have one day to leave before I decide to kill you as my father would have." Zuko's glare was icy. Fong fled.

"You are dismissed." Zuko addressed the rest of the room and the Council uniformally got up and left. Toph and Sokka left in the mix and even Uncle Iroh left patting Katara on the shoulder as a silent message to talk to the boy.

"Zuko." She silently called out standing alone in the middle of the floor.

"Shhh." He murmured and enveloped her in a hug letting his shoulders fall his eyes close and him to simply be at peace.

It was nice in Zuko's embrace so she didn't protest and let herself be lost in his smoky scent that clung to the air like a delicate perfume.

"I don't think I can do this on my own, Katara." Zuko whispered into Katara's shoulder.

"You have your uncle," Katara murmured. Zuko being so close made her brain slow and she didn't realize the full implications of his words, but slowly she worked it out. "Oh."

"I would understand if you don't want to and it's not like I'm asking for commitment or anything, God no I'm not asking for commitment, but still I love you and well I know your father won't like it very much neither will your brother but I guess it's not really about them but they are you're family and family's important, not that my family was important, actually family isn't that important, I guess, but I'm sure yours is great but you know it's-" Katara pulled away slightly smiling, to see her boyfriends red face and nervous eyes. She kissed him very gently.

"You talk too much." She said and their lips met again. It was several minutes before they broke apart again

"Is that a yes then?" Zuko asked hopefully.

"I don't know, I don't ever remember a question being asked." Katara teased. It was funny how such a deadly, cold, cruel man can be turned into the nervous awkward teenager in just a matter of minutes.

Zuko sighed. "Katara, will you stay here with me, in the Fire Nation?" she thought a minute before nodding.

And so they stayed together in the palace for many months, growing more together, through the challenges and the peace. Through the fights, they always came back to each other, promising they would hold on forever.

When Katara went back to the Water Tribe, just for a week visit, she received seven letters each detailing how much she was loved and how much she was missed, and how she should hurry and get back to him.

When Katara finally returned she walked into her room tired after a good night kiss from her Zuko, and found a small delicate piece of string with a beautiful carved stone on her pillow next to a delicate rose. Katara took it gently in her hands and carried it to her door to find the love of her life standing behind it. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes."

Zuko's face broke into a smile and they kissed, neither willing to let go.

**i didn't edit this... sorry, this is the last. Good Bye Thanks for the memories**


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